Hackers breach records of 25,000 US homeland security staff

A recent cyber attack on US Investigations Services (USIS), a federal contractor dealing with security clearances, has reportedly exposed internal records of about 25,000 personnel of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The number of personnel affected in the attack is anticipated to be more.

The DHS has warned employees to keep monitor their bank accounts for any breaches.

In addition to the DHS, the breach exposed the personal information of employees at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Customs and Border Protection units, Reuters reported.

The compromised information includes social security numbers, education and criminal history, birth dates, and data about spouses, other relatives and friends such as their names and addresses.

A notification letter said: "Records including this data were exposed to unauthorised users during the cybersecurity intrusion.

"We do not yet know whether the data was actually taken."

The contractor revealed about the breach earlier this month without sharing many details.

The company said its internal cybersecurity team had identified the attack and expert reviews confirmed ‘it has all the markings of a state-sponsored attack’.

The DHS has issued ‘stop-work orders’ to put off further data flows to USIS until it is convinced that the company could preserve its records.

Simultaneously, all USIS background check fieldwork was also halted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ‘out of an abundance of caution’.

The federal contractor is already facing criticisms by Congress over its work in carrying out background checks on former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden.

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