Pentagon says 2.8 million personnel records stolen in network breach

October 2, 2026 at 01:28 AM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The Pentagon is notifying more than 2 million current and former military members that their personnel records were stolen in a monthslong breach of a Defense Manpower Data Center system. The records included Social Security numbers, names, addresses, sex, race, and occupational specialty. The breach is the second major exposure of sensitive US government personnel data in recent months.

Key Facts

The breach compromised records of 2.8 million living individuals, according to the Pentagon.
Hackers gained access to the Defense Manpower Data Center system starting last October.
The stolen records included Social Security numbers, names, addresses, sex, race, and occupational specialty.
Last month, ransomware group ShinyHunters claimed it hacked FBI systems and stole records of thousands of current or former employees.
An FBI official this week called on ShinyHunters members to turn themselves in.

Pentagon Breach

The Pentagon is informing more than 2 million current and former military members that their personnel records were stolen. The records were stored on a system operated by the Defense Manpower Data Center, which collates Department of Defense personnel records. Hackers gained access to the system starting last October, and the breach compromised the records of 2.8 million living individuals. The stolen data included Social Security numbers, names, addresses, sex, race, and occupational specialty. Occupational specialty data could help foreign intelligence agencies identify high-value military personnel.

FBI Breach

Last month, ransomware group ShinyHunters claimed it hacked into FBI systems and stole records of thousands of current or former employees. Reuters reported that job titles in the records included ones related to investigating China or Russia. ShinyHunters said it has no plans to release the information, but the group has hacked and extorted hundreds of organizations. An FBI official this week called on group members to turn themselves in.