...was reported by FoxNews today. The data that was stolen when federal government computer systems were recently hacked is already being sold on the so called Darknet (the shadier criminal side of the Internet). More here.
Much of, if not most of, that data is the personal information of at least 4 million government employees. This looks as if it may become a major nightmare because the stolen data it includes information of the most personal identifying type that was acquired by the government during background investigations of federal employees. Such things would include: name (of employee), social security number of employee and some family members, place of birth, date of birth, current and former addresses, banking information, other financial information, medical information, current and former employment, names of schools attended, types degrees achieved, names of the employees relatives, dates and places of birth for some of the relatives (not necessarily limited to the immediate family), employment info for the relatives, and addresses of relatives among other things. In essence, anyone out there with bad intent could buy a federal government employee's personal identifying data and easily and completely steal his or her identity totally screwing up their lives.
One of the most screwed up things about all of this is the havoc this could generate within government operations. This truly has the potential to bring down, or at least temporarily muddle, the operational capabilities of government agencies whose day to day operations depend upon workers being trustworthy. This quote from Former Counterintelligence Officer John Schindler says it well:
"Perhaps the most damaging aspect of this is not merely that four million people are vulnerable to compromise, through no fault of their own, but that the other side now so dominates the information battlespace that it can halt actions against them,” Schindler said. “If they get word that a American counterintelligence officer, in some agency, is on the trail of one of their agents, they can pull out the stops and create mayhem for him or her: run up debts falsely - they have all the relevant data, perhaps plant dirty money in bank accounts -they have all the financials too, and thereby cause any curious officials to lose their security clearances. Since that is what would happen.”
Another very screwed up thing is that this could wind up resulting in things much worse than identity theft or the disruption of government operations. Federal employees and retirees, and their families, could now become easy targets of anyone others who would harm them. This harm could come in the form of physical violence, harassment, blackmail (BGI files contain some very personal information about those who were investigated and can include failures to pay debts, unusual sexual habits, former drug use, former undesirable contacts, and so on). In my case, I am a bit concerned about physical harm as one or three folks that I arrested and or from whom I seized narcotics or sizeable amounts of illicit funds over the years were of the vindictive type who would readily seek violent revenge if presented with the opportunity. Then there are the terrorists for whom it would be a major achievement could they start to target and execute government employees or retirees in their homes. It is a scary thing.
I think the most screwed up thing though, related to all this, is that just this week the identities of another 9,500 government employees (local, state and federal,) were stolen. So, the breaches are ongoing and the government, inept as it is, is apparently helpless to prevent them. You can bet the government will also be totally inept when it comes to preventing all that stolen data from being utilized by criminal elements for whatever foul purposes they have in store for us.
Of course, the government has offered an identity protection type program to those who may have been effected by the breach. I received a letter from my former federal employer yesterday telling me I automatically will be covered for 18 months because my records are among those that were stolen. There was a blurb in the letter about additional protection being offered and while it did not specifically say so, I get the impression that the employee would have to pay for that extra protection out of pocket. That is of little solace to me as I can barely makes ends meet right now but I may decide to take them up on that offer and pay whatever I must pay because I sure could not afford to wind up broke if someone was to steal and use my identity to enrich themselves at my family's expense.
To date though, the government has not offered any type of protection from the potential for physical violence that may result from the breach and it is sure they will not offer it unless someone is specifically targeted and even then - who knows what they will or will not do. I think it will be pretty much up to each person whose personal identifying data was breached, to protect themselves and their families.
So far, my personnel data has been comprised at Target, Home Depot, Blue Cross and now this (and there may be one or two other incidents that do not come to mind right now). This one is the worst as those businesses mentioned did not have even half of the info that the government had relative to me and my family. I don't know what actions concerning protection of my assets to take except to accept the governments offer for the identity protection service. I am thinking about changing bank accounts and possibly taking my funds out of the government's Thrift Savings Plan (and then getting screwed under the Obama tax rates) but that is about all of which I can think right now. I am also going to go over precautionary methods, with my family, relative to protecting us and I will put some sort of plan in place for our defense in the event, no matter how unlikely, something like that may result due to our information being available to any undesirable who can afford to buy it.
Oh what a world...
All the best,
Glenn B
Much of, if not most of, that data is the personal information of at least 4 million government employees. This looks as if it may become a major nightmare because the stolen data it includes information of the most personal identifying type that was acquired by the government during background investigations of federal employees. Such things would include: name (of employee), social security number of employee and some family members, place of birth, date of birth, current and former addresses, banking information, other financial information, medical information, current and former employment, names of schools attended, types degrees achieved, names of the employees relatives, dates and places of birth for some of the relatives (not necessarily limited to the immediate family), employment info for the relatives, and addresses of relatives among other things. In essence, anyone out there with bad intent could buy a federal government employee's personal identifying data and easily and completely steal his or her identity totally screwing up their lives.
One of the most screwed up things about all of this is the havoc this could generate within government operations. This truly has the potential to bring down, or at least temporarily muddle, the operational capabilities of government agencies whose day to day operations depend upon workers being trustworthy. This quote from Former Counterintelligence Officer John Schindler says it well:
"Perhaps the most damaging aspect of this is not merely that four million people are vulnerable to compromise, through no fault of their own, but that the other side now so dominates the information battlespace that it can halt actions against them,” Schindler said. “If they get word that a American counterintelligence officer, in some agency, is on the trail of one of their agents, they can pull out the stops and create mayhem for him or her: run up debts falsely - they have all the relevant data, perhaps plant dirty money in bank accounts -they have all the financials too, and thereby cause any curious officials to lose their security clearances. Since that is what would happen.”
Another very screwed up thing is that this could wind up resulting in things much worse than identity theft or the disruption of government operations. Federal employees and retirees, and their families, could now become easy targets of anyone others who would harm them. This harm could come in the form of physical violence, harassment, blackmail (BGI files contain some very personal information about those who were investigated and can include failures to pay debts, unusual sexual habits, former drug use, former undesirable contacts, and so on). In my case, I am a bit concerned about physical harm as one or three folks that I arrested and or from whom I seized narcotics or sizeable amounts of illicit funds over the years were of the vindictive type who would readily seek violent revenge if presented with the opportunity. Then there are the terrorists for whom it would be a major achievement could they start to target and execute government employees or retirees in their homes. It is a scary thing.
I think the most screwed up thing though, related to all this, is that just this week the identities of another 9,500 government employees (local, state and federal,) were stolen. So, the breaches are ongoing and the government, inept as it is, is apparently helpless to prevent them. You can bet the government will also be totally inept when it comes to preventing all that stolen data from being utilized by criminal elements for whatever foul purposes they have in store for us.
Of course, the government has offered an identity protection type program to those who may have been effected by the breach. I received a letter from my former federal employer yesterday telling me I automatically will be covered for 18 months because my records are among those that were stolen. There was a blurb in the letter about additional protection being offered and while it did not specifically say so, I get the impression that the employee would have to pay for that extra protection out of pocket. That is of little solace to me as I can barely makes ends meet right now but I may decide to take them up on that offer and pay whatever I must pay because I sure could not afford to wind up broke if someone was to steal and use my identity to enrich themselves at my family's expense.
To date though, the government has not offered any type of protection from the potential for physical violence that may result from the breach and it is sure they will not offer it unless someone is specifically targeted and even then - who knows what they will or will not do. I think it will be pretty much up to each person whose personal identifying data was breached, to protect themselves and their families.
So far, my personnel data has been comprised at Target, Home Depot, Blue Cross and now this (and there may be one or two other incidents that do not come to mind right now). This one is the worst as those businesses mentioned did not have even half of the info that the government had relative to me and my family. I don't know what actions concerning protection of my assets to take except to accept the governments offer for the identity protection service. I am thinking about changing bank accounts and possibly taking my funds out of the government's Thrift Savings Plan (and then getting screwed under the Obama tax rates) but that is about all of which I can think right now. I am also going to go over precautionary methods, with my family, relative to protecting us and I will put some sort of plan in place for our defense in the event, no matter how unlikely, something like that may result due to our information being available to any undesirable who can afford to buy it.
Oh what a world...
All the best,
Glenn B
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