DHAKA: Chinese hackers are suspected of carrying out a "massive breach" affecting the data of millions of US government workers, US officials said.

BBC reported on Friday.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) confirmed that almost four million current and past employees have been affected.

The breach could potentially affect every federal agency, officials said.

Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the attack was thought to originate in China.

The Chinese embassy in Washington warned against "jumping to conclusions".

Embassy spokesman Zhu Haiquan told that the accusations were "not responsible, and counterproductive".

OPM serves as the human resource department for the federal government.

The agency issues security clearances and compiles records of all federal government employees.

Information stored on OPM databases includes employee job assignments, performance reviews and training, according to officials.

The breach did not involve background checks and clearance investigations, officials said.

Collins called the breach "yet another indication of a foreign power probing successfully and focusing on what appears to be data that would identify people with security clearances".

BDST: 0916 HRS, JUN 04, 2015
HB