Articles > Editorial
Air Force under Identity Theft Attack
By IT-Observer Staff
Tuesday, 23 August 2005 18:25 ESTAttackers successfully managed to break into a military computer database and steal private information, social security numbers on roughly 33,000 Air Force officers. The breach put Air Force at a greater risk of possible identity fraud attack.
No sophisticated attacks were needed to gain the information. The attacker had to use a legitimated password to access database contained sensitive information for about half of the Air Force’s officers. Officials of the Air Force said the intrusion occurred sometime in May or June by someone who used user’s login credentials to gain access.
"Protecting airmen's personnel information is something we take very seriously," Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, commander of the personnel center, said in a statement. "We are doing everything we can to catch and prosecute those responsible."
Even though no incidents of identity fraud have been associated with the theft, officials issued a warning to all officers that Social Security numbers could be used to gain extra private data.
