A breach involving a Defense Manpower Data Center system affected 2.76 million living individuals and 294,000 deceased individuals, a War Department official told Fox News.
The official said unauthorized access to personally identifiable information occurred from October 2025 through July 2026. The accessed files contained unencrypted information. Depending on the individual, records may include Social Security numbers, names, birth dates, contact details and military personnel information.
The department said it fixed the vulnerability after discovering it and has no indication that the accessed data has been misused. The Defense Manpower Data Center maintains records concerning military personnel, civilian employees, contractors, family members, retirees and veterans.
People whose information was accessed are being notified by postal mail through the department’s contracted provider, IDX. The official said IDX is offering notification, credit monitoring and identity-restoration support based on the information affected. The source reports that eligible people may receive 12 months of monitoring. Questions can be directed to the contact information provided in an official notice or on the IDX response site identified by the source.
The report advises recipients to review breach notices carefully and avoid links or requests for personal information in unsolicited emails or texts. It also describes steps such as checking financial accounts and considering a credit freeze or fraud alert. These are general precautions, not confirmation that any recipient’s identity has been misused.
