Washington (CNN) US officials suspect that Russian-linked hackers were behind the recent data breach of multiple federal agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture and Commerce, but are continuing to investigate the incident, multiple sources told CNN Monday.
CNN learned Monday that DHS’ cyber arm, which is tasked with helping safeguard the nation from attacks by malicious foreign actors, is among at least three US government agencies compromised in the hack.
A source familiar with the matter said that number is expected to increase in the coming hours and days.
While the exact scope and scale of the hack still remain to be seen, it is already becoming clear that this marks one of the most significant breaches of the US government in years. It also shows that Russia and other foreign actors continue to exploit US cyber vulnerabilities — an issue that will likely present a challenge for the incoming Biden administration
Officials suspect a breach may have also occurred to the computer systems at the Treasury Department and US Postal Service, according to a senior administration official, who noted those investigations are ongoing.
Asked whether USPS system was breached, a spokesman for the Postal Service told CNN, “The U.S. Postal Service was made aware of the cyber incident at SolarWinds by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Dec. 13, 2020. As with any notification of this nature, USPS is conducting a thorough review of its systems and processes to safeguard its network and ensure the integrity of its systems.”
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