Pentagon personnel records breach: data of 3 million people exposed

The Defense Manpower Data Center, the Pentagon agency that keeps personnel records on service members, veterans, retirees, civilian staff and their families, said a flaw in one of its file-sharing systems let unauthorized users reach unencrypted personal data from October 2025 until the flaw was found on July 16, 2026. The files held Social Security numbers, names, dates of birth, contact details and military service information. A Defense Department official said about 2.76 million living people and 294,000 who had died were affected. Letters sent from September 18, 2026, offered 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity restoration through IDX and said there was no indication the data had been misused. The department has not said who accessed the files. On October 20, 2026, two Marines filed a proposed class action in federal court in Washington, alleging the department failed to protect the records and was slow to warn those affected, and seeking $5 million in damages. The claims have not been proven, and defense officials declined to comment, citing the litigation.

Pentagon personnel records breach: data of 3 million people exposed

Pentagon personnel records breach: data of 3 million people exposed

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