Pentagon data breach exposes Social Security numbers, personal info of 2.76M US military, civilian personnel

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A Pentagon personnel database breach exposed sensitive personal information belonging to 2.76 million living U.S. military and civilian personnel, and 294,000 deceased individuals, a Pentagon official confirmed to Fox News.

Unauthorized users accessed unencrypted files containing Social Security numbers and military or civilian employment information between October 2025 and July 2026. 

The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) discovered the vulnerability in a file-sharing system on July 16 and notified affected individuals Sept. 18. 

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A Pentagon official said a few unauthorized users accessed personally identifiable information through the DMDC system during the roughly nine-month period.

Upon discovering the vulnerability, the DMDC immediately remediated it, according to the official.

The Pentagon said it has no indication the information was misused.

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Affected individuals are being notified by postal mail through Identity Theft Guard Solutions, or IDX, a provider contracted by the Department of Defense.

IDX will provide credit monitoring and identity restoration support to affected individuals based on the types of personal information impacted in each case, according to the Pentagon.

The Pentagon directed individuals with questions about the breach to contact IDX through its website or by calling 1-855-744-4556.

The DMDC maintains personnel and workforce information for the Defense Department and provides data and services supporting military personnel, their families and other Defense Department operations.

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The breach exposed information belonging to more than 3 million living and deceased individuals overall, though the Pentagon said it has not identified evidence that the accessed information has been misused.

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The Pentagon did not identify the unauthorized users in its statement or provide additional details about how they gained access to the file-sharing system.

Brittany Miller is a Fox News Digital breaking news writer and former Independent reporter who graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.