Hackers identify thousands of DHS employees in massive data breach

NPR reports that the hackers exposed the names, phone numbers and addresses of more than 40,000 DHS agents, operatives, and associates[3]. A spokesperson for the hacktivist group behind the breach, the Department of Peace, said: "On July 17th, Markwayne Mullin said he was 'turning up the heat.' This is what happens to ICE when you do that"[3].According to Help Net Security, the group handed the data to the transparency collective Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets) and to Swiss hacker and journalist maia arson crimew. DDoSecrets published the dataset, named Icepick, on October 28.[4]Help Net Security reports that the hacktivists said the records were taken from an Okta single sign-on service used by DHS[4]. Okta told Reuters: "Okta is secure, and we have no evidence our data or systems were compromised"[4].Help Net Security says Customs and Border Protection staff make up the largest share with 21,329 entries, while ICE accounts for 6,598.[4] TechCrunch, however, reports records associated with another 10,000 employees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit[5].According to Cybersecurity News, WIRED identified 39 Homeland Security Investigations employees in groups containing "CUC," a term government court records link to certified undercover operations.[6]DHS told TechCrunch that it "is aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively."[5]Help Net Security calls the leak the third major blow to U.S. federal agencies in about a month.[4]