The Pentagon says a vulnerability in the Defense Manpower Data Center exposed Social Security numbers and employment records for 2.76 million living U.S. military and civilian personnel and roughly 294,000 deceased individuals. The unauthorized access occurred between October 2025 and July 2026; the flaw was found on July 16 and remediated immediately, and notifications were mailed on Sept. 18. IDX is providing credit monitoring and identity restoration support; contact 1-855-744-4556 for assistance.
Pentagon Data Breach Exposes SSNs and Employment Records of 2.76M Military and Civilian Personnel
An aerial view of the Pentagon building in Washington.
The Pentagon confirmed that a breach of the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) personnel database exposed sensitive personal information belonging to 2.76 million living U.S. military and civilian personnel and about 294,000 deceased individuals.
The Pentagon's personnel database was breached.
What Happened
Unauthorized users gained access to unencrypted files containing Social Security numbers and military or civilian employment records between October 2025 and July 2026. The DMDC discovered a vulnerability in a file-sharing system on July 16, 2026, and says it remedied the issue immediately. Affected individuals were notified by mail on Sept. 18, 2026.
People with questions about the Pentagon database breach should contact IDX through its website or by calling 1-855-744-4556.
Pentagon Response
Officials say they have found no evidence so far that the accessed information has been misused. The Pentagon has not identified the unauthorized users or detailed how the intruders gained access to the file-sharing system.
The FAA expanded a temporary flight restriction near Fort Hancock, Texas, amid reports of a drone incident involving the Pentagon.
Support For Affected Individuals
The Department of Defense has contracted Identity Theft Guard Solutions (IDX) to notify affected people and provide services. IDX is offering credit monitoring and identity restoration support depending on the type of personal information exposed. Individuals with questions can contact IDX via its website or by calling 1-855-744-4556.
Related Developments
Separately, the Federal Aviation Administration expanded a temporary flight restriction near Fort Hancock, Texas, following reports of a drone incident involving the Pentagon. Authorities have not connected that incident to the DMDC breach.
What Affected People Should Do Now
- Contact IDX at 1-855-744-4556 or via the vendor website to confirm enrollment and understand available protections.
- Monitor financial accounts and credit reports for unusual activity; consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with credit bureaus if warranted.
- Report suspected identity theft immediately to your financial institutions and to the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft.gov.
- Change passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on important accounts where possible.
The DMDC maintains personnel and workforce records for the Department of Defense and supplies data and services that support military personnel, their families and other defense operations.
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