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Hackers access DFSA myPay accounts

SAN ANTONIO — Defense officials announced March 23 that nearly two dozen “myPay” users have had money redirected from their accounts in the past eight months by hackers who apparently accessed the service members’ home computers.

The announcement that officials were investigating the computer hackings came just three days after a Defense Financing and Accounting Service spokesman denied to Air Force Times that myPay accounts had been compromised.

“I haven’t heard anything about it,” said DFAS spokesman Carol Garcia on March 20. “We haven’t sent any messages or e-mails on it.”

The myPay program allows 3.7 million DFAS users to manage pay information, leave and earnings statements and W-2s online — including where direct deposits are made.

According to a release on Air Force Link, a hacker redirected one service member's pay to a credit card vendor by changing account information the day before payday.

DFAS officials said they were able to have the funds returned to the service member’s bank account within two days.

The security breach was likely due to personal information being stolen from home computers via spyware and keystroke-logging viruses, DFAS officials said. Such “malware” can come through e-mails or from connecting to Web sites that appear correct but secretly load the software on your computer.