It is so difficult to parse this kind of article. We don't know if the sources are actually from the intelligence community, or politicians who are being fed a narrative by actual intelligence sources.
My hunch is that these agencies are compromised by hackers and most of this is a response to that in one way or another. Just this week we found out how security-clearance information has been extracted by attackers. This include records of “foreign contacts”—lists of non-U.S. officials that a person might know or have relationships with [1]. But maybe just blame everything on Snowden!
It's not the first time security clearance information has been exposed. Back in 2014 several of the contractors who do background investigations had breaches.
We haven't seen any proof in the OPM case. And I don't think any journalists reporting it have been made privy to any proof that's gone unpublished. Maybe I'm wrong, but every story I've seen just regurgitates what officials are saying. Meanwhile they're pushing for stronger "cyber security" legislation and trying to stoke cyber fears as the country slowly recovers from the collective 9/11 PTSD.
My hunch is that these agencies are compromised by hackers and most of this is a response to that in one way or another. Just this week we found out how security-clearance information has been extracted by attackers. This include records of “foreign contacts”—lists of non-U.S. officials that a person might know or have relationships with [1]. But maybe just blame everything on Snowden!
[1] http://www.wsj.com/articles/security-clearance-information-l...