Leak website releases data on tens of thousands of DHS employees
DHS said in a statement it was "aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively."
A leak website disclosed extensive details about tens of thousands of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel on Wednesday. Distributed Denial of Secrets, the source of the leak, stated it had obtained information on more than 40,000 DHS employees, encompassing sensitive roles in surveillance, intelligence, and other areas.
The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the potential breach and is taking steps to safeguard its workforce promptly. The data includes names, contact details, job titles, and email addresses of individuals from various DHS agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Furthermore, the leak revealed confidential job categories and email groups, specifying agents' roles in specialized operations, surveillance, forensic work, and undercover assignments. Distributed Denial of Secrets co-founder Emma Best unveiled a search tool for the data, aiming to provide transparency, facilitate public records requests, and enhance congressional oversight.
The Department of Peace, the entity behind the leak, claimed responsibility, expressing hope that the information could be used to mitigate future harm to DHS and support related efforts. However, Okta, the sign-on service utilized by DHS, denied any evidence of a compromised system or data breach. While Reuters could not independently verify the entire dataset, they cross-referenced personal data from six DHS employees with credit bureau records and dark web intelligence platforms, confirming the accuracy of the leaked information.
Some DHS personnel were unaware of the breach, while others confirmed the details matched their LinkedIn profiles. Nonetheless, the leak exposed both publicly available and non-public data, including internal organization charts and undisclosed programs or operations within DHS.
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