The social security numbers and other sensitive personal information of U.S. House members and staff were exposed in a data breach this week, according to House leaders.
The leaked data came from DC Health Link, a health insurance
marketplace used by Congress members and others. The FBI and U.S.
Capitol Police are now investigating.
- The
FBI said it was able to purchase the sensitive personal information on
the dark web. The data included the names of enrollees' spouses, their
dependent children, home addresses, and social security numbers.
- The
breach significantly raises the risk that Congress members, staffers,
and their families could be targeted by "identity theft, financial
crimes, and physical threats," according to a letter by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
- According
to House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor, it doesn't
appear that House members were specifically targeted in the attack. The
size and scope of the breach remain unclear.
- While the attack also affected Senators and their staffers, it did not leak data beyond their names and family members' names.
