As cited
Copy frozen at (site build).
government policy
Lawmakers spring to save ID theft services for OPM breach victims, with expiration looming
Senators Warner and Norton introduced legislation to extend lifetime identity protection coverage for the 4.2 million federal employees affected by the 2015 Office of Personnel Management breach, as the current 10-year authorization expires at the end of September. The Reducing the Effects of the Cyberattack on OPM Victims Enduring Response and Protecting Identifiable Information (RECOVER PII) Act faces significant political obstacles, with no Republican co-sponsors despite GOP control of both chambers and the White House. The Office of Personnel Management has previously deemed the program too expensive, and similar extension efforts have failed in recent years.
Why it matters: Federal employees and contractors whose sensitive personal data including Social Security numbers and security clearance information was stolen in 2015 are losing access to identity protection services at the end of September; practitioners in federal agencies should prepare for potential notification obligations and increased risk of identity theft exploitation.
- Source published
- First seen by Cybersecurity Tracker
Source attribution
Correction
Correction recorded as of .
government policy
Lawmakers spring to save ID theft services for OPM breach victims, with expiration looming
Lawmakers introduced the RECOVER PII Act to extend lifetime identity protection services for 4.2 million federal employees affected by the 2015 Office of Personnel Management breach, as current coverage expires at the end of September under a 10-year authorization. The bill, sponsored by Senator Mark Warner and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, also provides reimbursement for privacy services, but faces an uncertain path given Republican control of Congress and the Trump administration's opposition on cost grounds. Similar extension efforts have failed in recent years, and consumer advocates argue that identity theft protection services, while helpful, remain inadequate.
Why it matters: Federal employees and contractors exposed in the 2015 OPM breach need to prepare for coverage expiration and advocate for legislative action, as the stolen data includes Social Security numbers and security clearance records with unlimited exploitation potential.
- Source published
- First seen by Cybersecurity Tracker