Cyber-Attack Hits US Department of Defence Agency - May/July 2019
upstart writes in with an IRC submission for SoyCow4275_:
Cyber-attack hits US Department of Defence agency:
The US agency in charge of secure communication for the White House has been the victim of a cyber-attack.
The US Department of Defence confirmed that computer systems controlled by the Defence Information Systems Agency (DISA) had been hacked, exposing the personal data of about 200,000 people.
The agency oversees military communications including calls for US President Donald Trump.
The data exposed included names and social security numbers.
The agency is responsible for the military cyber-security and it sets up communications networks in combat zones.
On its website, DISA says its vision is "to be the trusted provider to connect and protect the war fighter in cyber-space."
There are 8,000 military and civilian employees at the DISA, but through its operations, it handles data for many other individuals.
This is why the personal information for so many people was exposed.
From cnet.org we found the following: Social Security numbers stolen in defense agency data breach:
An agency under the US Department of Defense was hit by a data breach that affected personal information. Hackers stole Social Security numbers, names and other personal data, a department spokesman said Thursday.
The Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA, is responsible for providing IT support to combat missions, in addition to securing White House communications, according to the agency's website.
Department of Defense spokesperson Charles Prichard confirmed Thursday the agency had detected a breach of personally identifiable information on a system it hosts, and was in the process of notifying those affected by letter. The breach affected people associated with the Defense Department. They will also receive a follow-up letter with more information about how the
[...] The breach occurred between May and July 2019, according to Reuters, which reported the story earlier Thursday. Other major data breaches that exposed Social Security numbers include the hack of the US Office of Personnel Management in 2015 and the attack on Equifax in 2017. Stolen Social Security numbers create a risk of identity theft.
Prichard said DISA has no evidence the stolen information has been misused, but security experts note that it's very difficult to track how a specific data breach leads to later crimes.
Read more of this story at SoylentNews.