For the second time in a year, the government’s Office of Personal Management (OPM) has been hacked, this time compromising the personal information of some 4 million current and former federal employees. While the OPM says it has tightened their security and will provide free credit report monitoring for 18 months following the breach, many government employees may be worried and should be diligent about monitoring their credit information over the next few years. Understanding what information may have been distributed and how to protect your identity is essential to maintaining a healthy credit history in light of the many high-profile information hacks that have been making national headlines.
Personal Information Stolen in the OPM Breach
Unlike large companies such as Target, Michaels, Neiman Marcus, JP Morgan Chase, and Home Depot (to name a few), the federal government breach may have resulted in even more detailed information being disclosed than credit card information, social security numbers, and basic information. Some information that may have been leaked during the break may include a person’s:
OPM’s Cyber Liability
The federal government has some liability for the loss of information in this latest breach. Currently, for those affected by the information breach, the government is offering free credit report access, credit monitoring and identity theft insurance for 18 months. However, many are saying that 18 months is too short of a timeframe to provide real protection and are calling for more adequate, long-term protection against identity theft and fraud.
If your business collects any identity information, then protection is needed. Call Shorepoint Insurance Services and we will come meet with you to provide a protection plan.
