OPM disables Web portal after retirees’ information potentially exposed

Technology

OPM disables Web portal after retirees’ information potentially exposed

The Office of Personnel Management disabled a Web portal used by federal retirees Monday to address a malfunction that may have left some retirees' personal inf...

Michael O'Connell@moconnellWFED

January 12, 2015 4:16 pm

< a min read

This story was updated at 9:50AM on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015 to include the latest information from OPM.

The Office of Personnel Management disabled a Web portal used by federal retirees Monday to address a security glitch that may have left some retirees’ information accessible to other individuals visiting the portal.

“This morning, OPM became aware of a technical malfunction impacting online services for Federal retirees,” an OPM spokesperson told Federal News Radio. “As a result, individuals logging into their personal accounts inadvertently may have had access to other retirees’ personal information. OPM has disabled the portal while we investigate the circumstances of the malfunction and will notify affected individuals if personal information is determined to have been compromised.”

As of Tuesday morning, the Web portal appears to be functioning normally. No one accessed anyone else’s account, according to the OPM spokesperson. The agency is still investigating how some retirees could see others’ information.

OPM has yet to notify any retirees that their data was exposed, the spokesperson said.

News4’s Scott MacFarlane first reported the malfunction.