Mon 14 December 2020:
The U.S. government has acknowledged reports that hackers backed by a foreign government have breached the U.S. Treasury Department and an agency within the Commerce Department.
“We have been working closely with our agency partners regarding recently discovered activity on government networks,” a spokesperson for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency told AFP.
“CISA is providing technical assistance to affected entities as they work to identify and mitigate any potential compromises.”
According to Reuters, the elaborate cyber hack was launched on the Treasury Department as well as the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, a U.S. agency that is tasked with crafting internet and telecommunications policy. Sources told the outlet that the hack was so serious it led to a National Security Council meeting on Saturday.
Hackers reportedly used the organization’s Microsoft Office 365 platform to monitor staff members emails for months.
The Post said the hacks were linked to an attack last week on cybersecurity firm FireEye, which said its own defenses were breached by sophisticated attackers who stole tools used to test customers’ computer systems.
FireEye said it suspected the attack was state-sponsored.
US media reports said the FBI was investigating a group working for the Russian foreign intelligence service, SVR, and that breaches had been taking place for months.
The same group also reportedly hacked US government agencies during the Obama administration.
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