“Hackers who raided the U.S. government’s personnel office gained access to secret background investigations conducted on current and former employees,” The Wall Street Journal reports.  

“The hackers had access to at least two separate background-investigation forms that must be completed for many U.S. officials to work in select national-security and other government jobs, and these forms are often necessary for someone to obtain security clearance. The two forms—known as Standard Form 85 and 86—contain extensive information about family members, mental health, and credit history. They also include records of ‘foreign contacts’—lists of non-U.S. officials that a person might know or have relationships with.”  

“Such information could be considered a treasure trove of information for foreign intelligence agencies, as the records would provide access to the personal lives and relationship networks of some of the U.S. government’s most carefully screened and vetted officials, and could expose them to blackmail.”