OPM Suspends Federal Background Check System in Wake of Hack

The fallout from a pair of major federal data breaches continues: The Office of Personnel Management is suspending the online system that new federal employees and contractors use to submit forms for background checks.

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OPM posted on its website Monday about the temporary suspension of the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing system (e-QIP), which will be offline for four to six weeks in order for the agency to make "security enhancements."

Related: OPM, Reeling From Federal Data Hacks, Will Hire Cybersecurity Advisor

The move from OPM, which screens and hires federal workers, comes after the agency revealed on June 4 that it had discovered a cyberattack that compromised data for at least 4.2 million current and former federal employees. On June 12 OPM disclosed a second attack that targeted information for millions more Americans who applied for security clearances.

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Clapper Calls China 'Leading Suspect' in OPM Hack

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OPM said Monday it is taking the e-QIP system offline because the agency's post-hack investigation discovered a security problem. However, "there is no evidence that the vulnerability in question has been exploited," the agency said.

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Related: OPM Chief Rebuffs Lawmakers on Scope of Cyber Breach

Critics have pointed to the OPM breach as a prime example of the inadequacy of federal cyber protections, and a growing group of lawmakers has called for OPM director Katherine Archuleta to resign. Archuleta has defended herself at a spate of Capitol Hill hearings, including three hearings during the week of June 22 alone. During the third of those hearings, Archuleta said she will hire a new cybersecurity advisor who is expected to start at OPM by August 1.