By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The personal information of 237,000 current and former federal government officials has been exposed in a data breach at the US Transportation Department (USDOT), sources said on the matter Friday.
The breach affected systems for processing TRANServe transportation allowances that reimburse government employees for certain commuting expenses. It was not clear whether the personal information had been used for criminal purposes.
USDOT said in a statement to Reuters that the breach did not affect transportation security systems. It was not said who might be responsible for the hack.
The department is investigating the breach and has frozen access to the transit benefits system until it is secured and reinstated, it said.
The maximum benefit is $280 per month for federal employee commutes.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)
