Data Leak Exposes Personal Information of Thousands of USAF Officers

Personal information for thousands of Air Force officers, including security clearances and social security numbers, leaked online from a lieutenant colonel’s unsecured backup drive. ZDNet reported on Monday that security researchers found gigabytes of files on the internet-connected drive that was not password protected. The information included names, addresses, ranks, and social security numbers, of more than 4,000 officers, and security clearance levels of hundreds of other officers, the website reported. The data included completed applications for renewed security clearances for two unnamed, now-retired four-star generals, including financial and mental health history, among other personal information. An Air Force spokesman said the service is aware of the incident and takes the reports “extremely seriously,” but cannot comment on an “ongoing investigation.”