Andrea Shalal and Matt Spetalnick report: Data stolen from U.S. government computers by suspected Chinese hackers included security clearance information and background checks dating back three decades, U.S. officials said on Friday, underlining the scope of one of the largest known cyber attacks on federal networks. Of the four million federal employees whose data were…
Category: Government Sector
VA: Portsmouth police officer indicted on computer invasion of privacy charges
Andrea Castillo reports: A Portsmouth police officer was indicted on computer invasion of privacy charges following a state police investigation. Melissa Moore, who has been with the department for three years, was indicted by a Portsmouth grand jury Thursday, according to a news release from Portsmouth Police Department spokeswoman Detective Misty Holley. Read more on…
China denies role in recent OPM security hack
Stuart Leavenworth reports: China on Friday rejected claims by unnamed U.S. officials that its agents hacked federal government computers, compromising the personal data of at least 4 million current and former federal employees. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei called the allegations “irresponsible” and urged U.S. officials to step up cooperation on stopping hacking, a problem…
OPM notifying 4 million current and former federal employees of hack
Oh my. From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 4 million federal employees may have had their information compromised. But it’s not just OPM that was hacked. It appears that China may have successfully hacked not just OPM, but the Interior Department, and possibly every federal agency. Here’s the press release from OPM: The…
NM: Dona Ana County Clerk employees involved in fraudulent tax return check-cashing scheme
Patrick Hayes and Jesse Martinez report: Seven people were arrested, including employees at the county clerk’s office, in connection with an identity-theft scheme, authorities said. An arrest warrant was executed in Anthony, New Mexico, Friday that resulted in the arrest of four people at a residence. Evidence found in those arrests resulted in three county…
Former St. Louis IRS worker filed 356 fraudulent tax returns
Robert Patrick reports: A former employee of an IRS office in St. Louis pleaded guilty to federal charges Monday and admitted filing more than 356 false tax returns, prosecutors said. Demetria Michele Brown, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Jefferson City to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity…