Chinese Hackers Broke Into U.S. Federal Employee Network.

 

 

Hackers have broken into a network housing sensitive information on federal employees, including a database of people with

top-secret clearances.

The attack occurred in mid-March, U.S. government officials told CNNMoney on Thursday. A New York Times report attributed the operation to China -- although it was unclear whether hackers were independent or government spies.

President Obama's cybersecurity advisers would not say whether the attack came from China or elsewhere.

The hackers managed to break into the computer network at the Office of Personnel Management, which stores data about federal employees. The agency conducts background checks for anyone working with the federal government, and it keeps information about employee hiring, wages, pensions and security clearances.

All of this is valuable information for foreign governments and corporations. If you know who has top-secret access, you know who to bribe -- or kidnap -- to get information.

Related story: What were China's hacker spies after last time?

The hackers managed to break into the agency's network, according to several federal agencies involved. But U.S. investigators haven't yet spotted "any loss of personally identifiable information," according to an official at the Department of Homeland Security who spoke to CNNMoney on condition of anonymity.

DHS and the personnel agency constantly monitor computer systems, so the break-in set off alarms and allowed them to act quickly, according to Office of Personnel Management press secretary Nathaly Arriola. 

The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team is now conducting forensic analysis to determine how deep the hackers got -- and what they know.

Source:CNN