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Another Government Computer Breach

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Anonymous

Guest
Release No. 0214.06
Contact:

Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623

USDA NOTIFIES HEADQUARTERS EMPLOYEES OF POSSIBLE PERSONAL INFORMATION BREACH

Provides Free Credit Monitoring Services

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2006- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today directed that notifications be sent to Washington, D.C. area employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) whose personal identity information might have been compromised when USDA computer systems were illegally accessed. Johanns also committed to providing one year of free credit monitoring services to potentially affected employees.

Johanns was informed today of the possible breach during a briefing on the status of a forensic investigation into the incident. He was first notified of the incident on June 6, at which time he was assured that personal identity information had been protected. However, subsequent forensic analysis leaves uncertain whether personal information was protected, prompting today's notification. The intrusion took place during the first weekend in June.

The personal identity information potentially accessed includes individual's names, social security numbers, and photos. Worksite information that is readily available to the public is also contained within the database. Approximately 26,000 current and former Washington, D.C. area USDA employees and contractors are potentially affected.

Notifications were sent today via email to potentially affected individuals informing them of the potential breach and of USDA's commitment to provide free credit monitoring services for one year. Letters will also be mailed to the same group of individuals to ensure they are aware of the potential problem, to provide information about identity theft protection, and to advise them of the details of a free credit monitoring service that USDA will provide.

People who believe they may be affected by the data breach can go to www.firstgov.gov for more information. USDA has established a call center that people can contact to get information about this incident and learn more about consumer-identity protections. That toll free number is 1-800-FEDINFO (1-800-333-4636). The call center is operating from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm (EDT), Monday - Saturday as long as it is needed.

Appropriate law enforcement agencies have been notified, and the USDA Inspector General's Office is conducting a full investigation into this matter.

USDA information technology personnel were notified on June 5 of the suspicious computer network traffic and immediately took action to protect the administrative system that was breached. At that time, a review of security software indicated that all personal identity information had been protected. USDA takes very seriously its responsibility to appropriately safeguard our employees' personal information and is working to prevent similar future incidents.

All Washington Metropolitan Area Employees PDF
http://www.usda.gov/documents/20060621222343_001.pdf


All Employees Outside of the Washington Metropolitan Area PDF
http://www.usda.gov/documents/20060621222234_002.pdf
 
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Anonymous

Guest
What is really scarey to me is what someone with this info could do to make up and get false credentials- to gain access to large supplies of food, water, milk, whatever....And if this computer program was breached- how many more of USDA's programs were?

And then you have how much sarin gas possibly floating around the world open to the highest Muslim bidder....

Many of the 9/11 terrorists flew their "training" flights using falsified and stolen airline ID's......
 

Econ101

Well-known member
This very threat is one of the reasons to have a food production and delivery that is not centralized like the one we are developing today in our concentrated markets.

There is some credence in producing and buying locally as far as the threat of food terrorism is concerned.

The article I posted before on the ability of small meat processors to be able to recall meat at a higher rate than that of the larger processors is also another piece of evidence that suggests that this approach is in the national interests of food safety. Small companies that are connected to their customers can more quickly ameliearate threats to our food supply.

The accessibility of our information is becoming easier as information is stored on central locations and on computers. This story of information getting out has been repeated a number of times and probably some times that we don't even know exist.
 
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