Pentagon Data Breach Exposes Personal Records of 2.8 Million Personnel

A vulnerability in the Defense Manpower Data Center file-sharing system allowed unauthorized access to unencrypted records of approximately 2.8 million living U.S. military and Department of Defense personnel, along with 300,000 deceased individuals. Exposed data included Social Security numbers, names, and service details. The breach occurred between October 2025 and mid-July 2026, with the vulnerability patched on July 16, 2026. The Department of Defense stated there is no current indication that the stolen information has been misused.