Biokey International Inc (BKYI)

[Gamco]

OPM underestimated number of fingerprints stolen in hack by millions
By Katie Bo Williams - 09/23/15 09:59 AM EDT

The Office of Personnel Management said Wednesday that it underestimated by approximately 4 million the number of individuals whose fingerprints were stolen in the massive breach revealed this spring.

OPM revised its original estimate of 1.1 million to 5.6 million after it discovered archived records not previously analyzed.

The agency says that the new estimate does not impact the overall number of individuals whose data was exposed by the hack. The total still stands at 21.5 million former, current and prospective federal employees, contractors and others.

Citing federal experts, OPM assured breach victims that “as of now, the ability to misuse fingerprint data is limited” but that “this probability could change over time as technology evolves.”

An interagency working group including members from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense (DOD) and other intelligence community members are studying how cyber criminals could potentially exploit the data.

“If, in the future, new means are developed to misuse the fingerprint data, the government will provide additional information to individuals whose fingerprints may have been stolen in this breach,” a spokesman said in a release.

The release notes that OPM is working with the DOD to “begin” mailing notifications to impacted individuals, part of $133-million contract to provide identity theft protection services for those affected.

The timeline of those notifications has been under intense scrutiny. Because the contract was not awarded until two months after the breach was revealed, some victims may not find out their data was taken until November.

OPM said when it announced the contract that the Defense Department would begin sending direct notifications at the end of this month and take several weeks. The agency declined to give a more specific timeline.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) on Tuesday demanded that the Defense Department turn over a copy of the contract as well as information detailing the notification process.

Chaffetz has requested that the committee receive the requested documents by Sept. 29.

http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/254620-opm-underestimated-number-of-fingerprints-stolen-in-hack