Statement by SASC Chairman John McCain on Data Breach at Office of Personnel Management

Statement

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today on reports of a massive data breach at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM):

"News yesterday of another massive data breach, this time at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) with upwards of four million affected individuals, including one million members of the military, is just the latest example of the inadequacy of our current strategy in cyberspace. Multiple reports indicate that this latest attack on OPM originated in China. If true, this breach joins an already lengthy and well-documented record of Chinese intellectual property theft and cyber-espionage against the U.S. government and American companies. We cannot sit idly-by, accepting a situation in which persistent cyber-attacks and data insecurity are the new norm. Our top priority must be finding ways to deter our enemies from attacking in the first place and ending the ability of hackers to infiltrate, steal, and disrupt with impunity. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is currently being considered in the Senate, has provisions to improve deterrence and enhance the capabilities of U.S. Cyber Command to defend the United States against foreign nations and terrorist organizations.

"Whether a government agency or private company, no one is immune from attacks by increasingly sophisticated adversaries. It is long past time for Congress to finally pass legislation that allows for the sharing of information on cyber threats. Information-sharing legislation that passed out of the Senate Intelligence Committee with broad support earlier this year will allow companies and the government to better understand the cyber threat, take preventative measures to shore-up defenses in the face of that threat, and have greater insight allowing for attribution and accountability in the event that an attack does occur. Protecting our networks and safeguarding our personal information, intellectual property, and national security requires that we act on this legislation without delay. The Senate should turn to the information-sharing bill as soon as we complete work on the NDAA."

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