OPM hack: China blamed for massive breach at US federal agency

Denials from Beijing after computer systems are targeted at Office of Personnel Management, which holds details on entire staff of US government

The Obama administration is scrambling to assess the impact of a massive data breach involving the agency that handles security clearances and US government employee records, with suspicion quickly falling on China, which has been accused of carrying out cyber-espionage against the US in the past.

Government officials familiar with the situation told the Associated Press the hack occurred at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Interior Department, and could potentially affect four million people at every federal agency.