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Feds’ Computers Are Too Old to Protect

Can't be encrypted vs. hackers.

Many of the federal government's computers that were hit by Chinese hackers for sensitive information on employees were not even encrypted or equipped with hacker-detection software, officials admitted Tuesday. The Office of Personnel Management’s top technology officer, Donna Seymour told Congress that many of the computers holding everything from Social Security numbers to medical histories are so old that they are incapable of being encrypted at all. In addition to exposing very sensitive data for security clearance holders stateside, the breach also caused a headache for intelligence agencies who fear their operatives' identities abroad may have been exposed.