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| Hackers 'stole data of millions of US government workers' | Hackers 'stole data of millions of US government workers' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hackers that breached US government databases stole the personal information of at least 21.5 million people, officials said on Thursday. | Hackers that breached US government databases stole the personal information of at least 21.5 million people, officials said on Thursday. |
| Those affected include government job applicants, federal contractors, and over a million of their partners, the Office of Personnel Management said. | Those affected include government job applicants, federal contractors, and over a million of their partners, the Office of Personnel Management said. |
| The figure is more than five times higher than the number of people that were feared to have been affected. | The figure is more than five times higher than the number of people that were feared to have been affected. |
| The data breach, which came to light in April, was widely blamed on China. | The data breach, which came to light in April, was widely blamed on China. |
| Authorities in Beijing have publicly denied any involvement. | Authorities in Beijing have publicly denied any involvement. |
| The breach prompted a series of hearings in Congress and widespread criticism of the state of US cyber defences. | The breach prompted a series of hearings in Congress and widespread criticism of the state of US cyber defences. |
| Last month, officials said personnel records of 4.2 million current and former federal government employees had been stolen in an incident. | Last month, officials said personnel records of 4.2 million current and former federal government employees had been stolen in an incident. |
| 'No misuse yet' | |
| On Thursday, OPM said that while investigating that breach they discovered additional information had also been compromised, including the social security numbers of 21.5 million individuals. | |
| The stolen data also includes health and financial information, criminal records, and the names and addresses of government employees and their relatives. | The stolen data also includes health and financial information, criminal records, and the names and addresses of government employees and their relatives. |
| Those affected include 19.7 million people who underwent background checks and 1.8 million others, mostly the partners of job applicants. | Those affected include 19.7 million people who underwent background checks and 1.8 million others, mostly the partners of job applicants. |
| OPM serves as the human resource department for the US government. The agency issues security clearances and compiles records of all federal government employees. | |
| The agency said that it had "no information at this time to suggest any misuse or further dissemination of the information that was stolen from OPM's systems." | |
| But it said that for anyone who underwent a background investigation in 2000 or afterwards "it is highly likely that the individual is impacted by this cyber breach." | |
| Last month, US intelligence chief James Clapper said China was the "leading suspect" in the massive data breaches. | |
| His comments came after three days of high-level talks in which China and the US agreed to a "code of conduct" on cyber security issues. | |
| Earlier this week, US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said China was "trying to hack into everything that doesn't move in America". | |
| China has dismissed claims of involvement as "irresponsible and unscientific". |