Federal Data Breach Massive, Preventable

TRIGGER WARNING:  .
For John, BLUF:  Has the cyber war begun?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From The Hill, Reporters Jordan Fabian and Cory Bennett tells us "Obama has confidence in OPM chief despite hack".  Why, I don't know.

President Obama is standing by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Katherine Archuleta despite a series of massive data breaches that have shaken the federal government, the White House said Wednesday.

“The president does have confidence that she is the right person for the job,” spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

Sometimes a statement like this is just a prelude to a firing.♠  And, she needs to be fired.  We need for the Federal Government to restore confidence in the protection of our personal data.  Retaining the current Director, and her team, suggests no major step forward.  Some people get that:

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) is leading a growing bipartisan chorus of lawmakers calling for Archuleta’s firing in the wake of the mega breach at her embattled agency, which has exposed the personal data of as many as 14 million government employees.

[Presidential Spokesman Josh] Earnest said updating OPM’s cyber defenses has been one of Archuleta’s top priorities since she assumed her post in late 2013, but that is “obviously an ongoing process.”

He said Archuleta and OPM Chief Information Officer Donna Seymour have cooperated as best as they can with a congressional inquiry into the hacks.

“They understandably faced some tough questions and they have tried to provide as much information as possible to the United States Congress,” he said.  “This is an issue they have been working on for some time.”

Here is the problem.  "Military clearance OPM data breach 'absolute calamity'".  I expect it includes my data.

And, this should not have been a surprise.  Mr Michael Esser, the Agency’s Assistant Inspector General for Audit testified to Congress that the problems had been reported a year ago.  This is not good.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Anyone remember Mr Michael Brown?