The US Marine Corps is a branch of the US Armed Forces that handles many ground-based operations as well as some air operations. The branch employs more than 180,000 active personnel and secures data for even more people. The US Marine Corps recently suffered a data breach that is causing problems for soldiers and civilians.
This US Marine Corps breach occurred because a single staff member sent out an unencrypted email containing a massive amount of confidential and personal information. That single email was a major security hit to the US Marine Corps, and the individual involved is from Logistics Regiment 17 at Camp Pendleton.
This Marine Corps breach occurred on May 9, 2023, but it wasn't discovered until May 12, 2023. The breach is a significant problem, and the Marine Corps is working to inform everyone involved so they can protect themselves.
This data breach impacts over 39,000 individuals, including civilians, sailors, and marines. If your data was involved, you should receive a notice explaining the situation in more detail.
As far as we know, only one or a small number of files were included in the unencrypted email sent out from the base. Even though only a few files were likely involved, they included a large amount of data that could be harmful if misused. If your information was involved, you should consider freezing your credit, monitoring your bank account, and investing in identity theft protection services to keep yourself safe.