Posted on Jun 13, 2015
The career-spanning details in the federal personnel files that were hacked. So ... do you think your personal information is safe?
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The employment database the government knows for certain was breached by hackers from China contains a wealth of information, some of it sensitive, about a federal employee’s career.
Think of it as a giant personnel file for everyone from secretaries to senior executives, the kind kept in manila folders in file drawers before the digital age.
Here’s a list of what’s included in this electronic personnel folder:
• Home address, Social Security Number, Date of Birth
• Job application to work in the government
• Resume
• Start date for every federal job
• Salary, step increases, bonuses, promotions
• Job title, agency and any changes to the title
• Whether the job is sensitive, requiring a security clearance
• Military/veteran status and credit for leave, reduction-in-force, or retirement
• Health insurance plan
• Life insurance plan, including beneficiaries (and their contact information)
• Retirement date
• Pension and annuity information
• Date employee left federal service
• Letters of commendation; letters of reprimand
• Training employee received on the job
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/06/13/the-career-spanning-details-in-the-federal-personnel-files-that-were-hacked/?tid=hpModule_14fd66a0-9199-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239&hpid=z13
Think of it as a giant personnel file for everyone from secretaries to senior executives, the kind kept in manila folders in file drawers before the digital age.
Here’s a list of what’s included in this electronic personnel folder:
• Home address, Social Security Number, Date of Birth
• Job application to work in the government
• Resume
• Start date for every federal job
• Salary, step increases, bonuses, promotions
• Job title, agency and any changes to the title
• Whether the job is sensitive, requiring a security clearance
• Military/veteran status and credit for leave, reduction-in-force, or retirement
• Health insurance plan
• Life insurance plan, including beneficiaries (and their contact information)
• Retirement date
• Pension and annuity information
• Date employee left federal service
• Letters of commendation; letters of reprimand
• Training employee received on the job
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/06/13/the-career-spanning-details-in-the-federal-personnel-files-that-were-hacked/?tid=hpModule_14fd66a0-9199-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239&hpid=z13
Civil Service
Hacking
Privacy
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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I have public resumes on RP and LinkedIn. There's very little in that database of mine that isn't public record already.
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CW2 Joseph Evans
GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, good article, although its extra effort a hacker really doesn't need to go through. Most businesses have a "contact us" page or a searchable employee database that provides the same data... The article seems to be anti LinkedIn rather than pro security.
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CW2 Joseph Evans
Additionally, most of my family has moved over the years, so much of the information on that front is out of date. My family's SSNs, DOBs, and addresses are on every tax return filed, every credit application, child support order, court case, etc... $25 will get more relevant information on me from equifax than what exists in any federal database outside of the NSA.
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I think they are hunting for meta data more than credit scores. Look for people who are vulnerable. The Chinese are aggressive - economics is war and all that. If they can find how to co-opt people, they will. It used to be "honey traps" but now it can be gambling or alcohol or sex. It's all out there. Education and amplification of the nature of the threat is important because we can't necessarily predict the specific target profile.
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Sex, lies and debt potentially exposed by U.S. data hack ...
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sex-lies-and-debt-potentially-exposed-by-us-data-hack/ar-BBl9eAl
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sex-lies-and-debt-potentially-exposed-by-us-data-hack/ar-BBl9eAl
Sex, lies and debt potentially exposed by U.S. data hack
When a retired 51-year-old military man disclosed in a U.S. security clearance application that he had a 20-year affair with his former college roommate's wife, it was supposed to remain a secret between him and the government.
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