Potential government employees and contractors will not be able to fill out their background questionnaires online for up to six weeks, the Office of Personnel Management announced on Monday.
The Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing, or e-QIP, system is offline after the federal agency responsible for conducting most government employee background checks determined that the web-based platform is vulnerable to hacking.
“The actions OPM has taken are not the direct result of malicious activity on this network and there is no evidence that the vulnerability in question has been exploited,” an OPM statement read. “Rather, OPM is taking this step proactively, as a result of its comprehensive security assessment, to ensure the ongoing security of its network.”
Two massive hacks into OPM’s electronic files made public earlier this month compromised the sensitive personnel information of at least 4.2 million current and former federal government workers.
As a result, OPM is conducting a comprehensive review of its information technology systems and discovered the potential deficiency in the online questionnaire system.
OPM did not say how it would process background questionnaires in the four-six weeks it expects e-QIP to be inoperable. But OPM indicated there may be other ways to get this done, and said it’s “committed to working with its interagency partners on alternative approaches to address agencies’ requirements.”
“The security of OPM’s networks remains my top priority as we continue the work outlined in my IT strategic plan, including the continuing implementation of modern security controls,” embattled OPM Director Katherine Archuleta stated. “This proactive, temporary suspension of the e-QIP system will ensure our network is as secure as possible for the sensitive data with which OPM is entrusted.”
In a letter dated Friday, 17 House Republicans called on President Obama to fire Archuleta and one of her top lieutenants, saying the duo is not up to the task of keeping government data secure.
