The administration acknowledged earlier this month that hackers stole the personnel files and background investigations of current and former civilian, intelligence and military employees, contractors and even job applicants. Initially, the U.S. said the stolen data included Social Security numbers, birth dates, job actions and other private information for 4.2 million workers.
Days later, it acknowledged that the cyber spies obtained detailed background information on millions of military, intelligence and other personnel who have been investigated for security clearances. That information included details about drug use, criminal convictions, mental health issues and the names and addresses of relatives and any foreigners with whom they had contact.
[...] The new disclosures bode poorly for U.S. efforts to quietly and quickly locate the stolen data — especially the detailed personal histories of millions of people with security clearances — on foreign computer servers and hack them to delete, encrypt or corrupt the material to render it useless. The administration has assessed that multiple backup copies have already been made with at least some stored on computers physically disconnected from any networks, the two people involved in the investigation told the AP.
Are we being sold a story that this is information that curious minds at NSA would not want to know? That they are apolitical that way, even while being questioned by others about who they are and what they do? That they'd have no motive because such information would not be of use to NSA personnel, if held by NSA personnel? That seems a curious line of thought fraught with uncertainty. However, trust that there is an ongoing investigation. At least we will not be told the data breach was the work of a lone gunman.