Over 39,000 Individuals Exposed in Marine Corps Data Breach
Table of Contents
- By Steven
- Published: May 30, 2023
- Last Updated: May 30, 2023
The US Marine Corps is a military service department that serves the US Department of Defense. The organization is responsible for provisioning and overseeing the marine troops and for most ground-based operations. This massive defensive organization is responsible for protecting the data of more than 177,200 active duty members as well as a large number of civilians that aid the forces as well. All of this data could be used in harmful ways if exposed. That's why it's unfortunate that the US Marine Corps suffered a recent data breach that could put more than 39,000 soldiers and civilians at risk. Learn all the details of this breach and see how potentially damaging the attack is.
How Did the Attack Occur?
On May 9, 2023, a single unencrypted email was sent from inside Camp Pendleton that included a significant amount of personal data about marines, sailors, and civilians in the department. More than 39,000 people were exposed by this one email, and it contained a significant amount of data. The email wasn't discovered until May 12, 2023, and by then, it was too late to fix the situation. It's unclear who was responsible for sending this email, but it was a damaging act that put everyone's personal information at risk.
What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?
The email included significant personal data about the many people involved, including Social Security numbers and home addresses, contact information, email addresses, bank account and routing numbers, full names, and more. All this data could be used for identity theft attacks, direct financial attacks, phishing attacks, and more. Anyone that was exposed to this breach is at risk of being hit by a follow-up attack, and they should be concerned about their data.
How Did The US Marine Corps Admit to the Breach?
A spokesman from the US Marine Corps sent a statement to NBC 7 about the lost data. In that statement, a brief overview of the people affected and the information involved was covered. Anyone involved will receive a personalized notice about the breach informing them that they should monitor their information.
What Will Become of the Stolen Information?
It's impossible to say how the exposed data will be used at this time. It's possible the information will be used to conduct phishing and identity theft attacks on the involved individuals. There is enough information for the person behind the email to break into bank accounts and attempt a series of fraudulent attacks on the involved soldiers and civilians. If you receive a notice informing you that your data was part of this breach, you should take action to guard yourself.
What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?
If you find out your data was involved in this breach, you must take steps to safeguard yourself as much as possible. Begin by monitoring your credit and any bank accounts involved. Consider investing in identity theft protection services for your safety, and you should be wary of any strange emails you receive as well. Never give confidential data out through your email address, and avoid clicking any strange links sent to you through your email.
