More details have surfaced in the recent, federal cyberattack as Department of Energy and military personnel are reporting a more intricate breach than originally anticipated.
Estimates earlier this month stated that anywhere from 9 million to 14 million records of federal workers were compromised dating back to the 1980s. With only 4.2 million current federal employees, the attack mainly compromised former workers.
David Lobb, vice president for legislative affairs with the state's Military Officers Association of America, said reports indicate that hackers may have had access to records for more than a year, and that the loss of documentation includes many active duty and veterans' military records.
Lobb added that the cyberattack also has created concerns among local personnel.
"In a nutshell, my sources in Washington tell me that the loss of documents is very serious," he said.
In an email to Savannah River Site officials, Kevin Knobloch, DOE chief of staff, said that on June 12, a separate cyber intrusion was made and affected systems that contain information on background investigations of current, former and prospective federal government employees from across all branches of government, as well as other individuals for whom a federal background investigation was conducted, including contractors.
The issue remains under the investigation of the Office on Personnel Management, Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, Knobloch said.
In October 2013, Savannah River Site employees were affected by a cyber identity theft incident that included approximately 104,000 Department of Energy past and present employees.
"The Department of Energy remains deeply committed to ensuring the safety, security and privacy of our workforce," Knobloch said. "As the dimensions of this breach become clear, DOE is working closely with (the Office on Personnel Management) and our other interagency partners to ensure that all affected individuals receive the necessary tools and information to understand the incident and protect themselves."
In response to the attack, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., drafted the Cyberattack Standards Study Act. The bill was passed last week and directs National Intelligence, Homeland Security, the FBI and the Department of Defense to conduct a study to define a method for quantifying a cyber incident to determine an appropriate response.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.
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