2014 in security: The biggest hacks, leaks, and data breaches

Summary: Hundreds of millions of records have been stolen this year through hacks and data breaches as a result of poor, or flawed security. Here are the most notable stories of the year.

U.S. security contractor vetting firm hit by breaches

A contractor for U.S. Homeland Security suffered a data breach, leading to the leak of personal information on employees. The private company, USIS, conducts background checks on behalf of the government agency. USIS came under fire for being the firm that vetted Edward Snowden. The U.S. Justice Dept. also accused the company of faking more than half-a-million background checks.