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Pentagon hit with class action over data breach affecting millions of military members
The suit says intruders accessed unencrypted personal data and seeks more than $5 million for over 3 million servicemembers.
- On Monday, a current and former Marine filed a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Defense Department in Washington, alleging the agency failed to secure sensitive data for more than 3 million military members.
- Intruders allegedly exploited a vulnerability in a personnel-records file-sharing system at the Defense Manpower Data Center, allowing access to unencrypted personal data including Social Security numbers and dates of birth.
- The lawsuit alleges the department showed "flagrant disregard for the privacy interests of servicemembers and other military-adjacent individuals," with plaintiffs seeking damages exceeding $5 million in federal court.
- Although no misuse was identified in prior investigations, the complaint warns affected individuals face long-term identity theft risks because Social Security numbers cannot be replaced like passwords.
- This litigation follows a pattern of federal cyber breaches; in 2022, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management agreed to pay $63 million to resolve a similar class action lawsuit.
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Pentagon hit with class action over data breach affecting millions of military members
The US Defense Department is facing a class action lawsuit alleging it failed to protect sensitive personally identifiable information from a cyber breach that exposed data belonging to millions of current and former military members.
·London, United Kingdom
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Total News Sources8
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
13%
C 75%
12%
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