Following the recent resignation of Katherine Archuleta, director of the Federal Office of Personnel Management, after a devastating cyberattack on the agency’s network, Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) issued a statement to reiterate his concerns on the issue.
“Trust in OPM and its leadership has been shattered,” Meehan said. “This information was an obvious target for the world’s most sophisticated hackers, and the failure to secure it demands accountability.”
The attack on OPM’s computer systems reportedly allowed hackers to access sensitive data on up to 21 million people, creating a panic situation among the agency’s leadership.
“Since the attack became public, we’ve seen nothing but confusion and disorder at OPM,” Meehan said. “We still can’t get a straight answer as to how many have been affected, more than a month later. The American public has zero confidence that we know the extent of the attack or that such an attack may be prevented in the future.
“This is too important to tolerate negligence,” the Congressman, who chaired the Homeland Security Committee’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee during the previous Congress and has remained active in cybersecurity issues this year as well, said. “The cyber threat grows by the day and the damage from these attacks has become more and more serious. Director Archuleta’s resignation is a chance to repair that shattered trust in OPM’s leadership. But with the personal data of millions at risk and our national security on the line, time and patience are luxuries in short supply.”