In March 2014, when this breach was disclosed it was considered the largest espionage coup of all time, one of the biggest ever on US government systems and possibly the single most damaging breach to US national security.
The data theft consisted of stealing detailed records of every employee and consultant of the US government for the past 50 years. The exposed information included addresses, health and financial details of 19.7 million people who had been subjected to government background checks as well as 1.8 million others, bringing the total known affected to 22.1 million. Those affected could be blackmailed into providing sensitive or classified data therefore the repercussions of this breach could extend to harming the US' domestic/foreign diplomatic and intelligence work.
The hack had been in progress for two years before it was discovered and was believed to have been perpetrated by Chinese hackers.
In October 2022, a $63 million settlement related to this breach was finalised by a federal judge.
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