A recent cyberattack on the U.S. Capitol has exposed the personal information of over 3,000 congressional staffers. The breach, discovered by Proton, a Switzerland-based security firm, found that Capitol Hill staffers’ passwords were leaked onto the dark web through a variety of online platforms, including social media and adult websites.
Proton’s investigation, conducted in partnership with Constella Intelligence, revealed that 1,800 passwords from Capitol staffers are now available on the dark web. The leak was caused by staffers using their official email addresses on platforms that were later compromised in data breaches.
In a statement to The Washington Times, Proton noted that the use of official email accounts on high-risk platforms was a key factor in the breach. The report showed that almost 1 in 5 Capitol Hill staffers had their personal information exposed, with some individuals having multiple passwords compromised.
The investigation found that in one case, a Capitol staffer had 31 passwords leaked across various platforms. The overall number of staffers affected by the breach is estimated at 3,191.
This cyberattack has raised serious concerns about the security practices of government employees and the risks posed by using official email addresses for personal purposes. The breach highlights the need for improved cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information within the U.S. government.
