EPIC” fail—how OPM hackers tapped the mother lode of espionage data

[Chiefcrowe]

http://arstechnica.com/security/201...kers-tapped-the-mother-lode-of-espionage-data

 

[Spacehead]

Thanks for the link, it was an interesting(sadly) read.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

Yeah, it definitely is sad. Hopefully when this stuff comes to light it helps people prepare to defend against this stuff and update systems.

Just saw this today-
http://www.wired.com/2015/06/hundreds-gov-credentials-found-public-hacker-dumps

 

[DigDog]

TLDR version?

 

[RearAdmiral]

TLDR version?

Govt. to potential employee -> Hey you, fill out this form detailing the past 5-10 years of your life, including all potential vulnerabilities in your finances, relationships, attitude, history etc. How is it easy for you to be compromised?

Potential employee -> Okay here you go.

Govt. to employee -> Okay well we lost all that.

Now someone has possibly the above on every federal employee.

 

[Jeff7181]

As a followup: http://arstechnica.com/information-...tor-on-security-issues-were-trying-very-hard/

Why have Archuleta and Seymour not been handed their walking papers, yet? Why aren't Americans demanding such action in cases like this where negligence and incompetence are on clear display?

 

[DigDog]

Govt. to potential employee -> Hey you, fill out this form detailing the past 5-10 years of your life, including all potential vulnerabilities in your finances, relationships, attitude, history etc. How is it easy for you to be compromised?

Potential employee -> Okay here you go.

Govt. to employee -> Okay well we lost all that.

Now someone has possibly the above on every federal employee.

figures ..

 

[etrigan420]

Govt. to potential employee -> Hey you, fill out this form detailing the past 5-10 years of your life, including all potential vulnerabilities in your finances, relationships, attitude, history etc. How is it easy for you to be compromised?

Potential employee -> Okay here you go.

Govt. to employee -> Okay well we lost all that.

Now someone has possibly the above on every federal employee.

That's pretty close...

Then, when hired, it's:

Govt. to employee -> Now we just need you to do that again on this site, this site, and this site. Then update your personal information on these other 4 sites, your medical information on another site, and your family members information on this totally separate site.

Employee -> That seems a little...extraneous, doesn't it?

Govt. to employee -> I'm not even sure what you're talking about. Oh, and we just got hacked, sorry about that...update your information on this other website so that we can keep in contact with you as we work through this trying time.

Employee -> :|

But fear not! According to the email I received, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team is on the case.

...I know I'll sleep easier tonight.

Should I point out the irony of OPM including a section in the email titled:

"How to avoid becoming a victim"?

 

[RearAdmiral]

That's pretty close...

Then, when hired, it's:

Govt. to employee -> Now we just need you to do that again on this site, this site, and this site. Then update your personal information on these other 4 sites, your medical information on another site, and your family members information on this totally separate site.

Employee -> That seems a little...extraneous, doesn't it?

Govt. to employee -> I'm not even sure what you're talking about. Oh, and we just got hacked, sorry about that...update your information on this other website so that we can keep in contact with you as we work through this trying time.

Employee -> :|

But fear not! According to the email I received, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team is on the case.

...I know I'll sleep easier tonight.

Should I point out the irony of OPM including a section in the email titled:

"How to avoid becoming a victim"?

Hehe I know thems feels. Reminds me of the xkcd(i think) comic about creating the programming standard to rule them all, but you just end up with n+1 standards. The govt. Wants to centralize training and info collection and such but just seems to create more and more systems with duplicate functionality.

All in all this kinda has the potential to be one of the most dangerous losses of information I've ever heard of. What do you think a Soviet era country would have paid for this type of info back in the day? Their entire treasury?

 

[Spacehead]

Last report i heard it might be up to 18 million names.

And it's not just employees. If you applied for a job & had background & security clearance checks but didn't get the job... all that info is gone too.

And some people aren't getting the notices the OPM is sending out to say your info has been stolen because they were sent to wrong addresses. One guy said the notice was sent to his parents where he hasn't lived since the mid Eighties.

 

[Elixer]

As a followup: http://arstechnica.com/information-...tor-on-security-issues-were-trying-very-hard/

Why have Archuleta and Seymour not been handed their walking papers, yet? Why aren't Americans demanding such action in cases like this where negligence and incompetence are on clear display?

Since nobody is ever held responsible, and nobody is in charge.
They love to pass the buck, and they get away with it, because they can.
As for Americans demanding action, most are uninformed and clueless on these sort of things.

They should be clearing house and there is NO reason for their network to be hooked up to the 'net anyway.