In recent days, there has been an unprecedented amount of cybersecurity issues. The top news is the emerging story that there has been a cyberattack in the government.
As the story is unfolding, numerous departments have confirmed that they have been affected. At this point in time, the departments who have come forward include Commerce, Treasury, and Homeland Security.
Government sources have confirmed they are aware of the attack and are taking steps to remedy any possible issues.
Industry experts believe a group, backed by a foreign government, carried out the cyberattack. However, at this time, top government officials have declined to comment further.
What Really Happened
While a breach has been confirmed, details are not yet clear. As the news continues to emerge, government agencies are working closely with agency partners to determine the extent of the breach.
According to reports, the hackers allegedly have broken into email systems at the government departments. While reports are ongoing, the full extent of the breach is still being assessed.
At this time, the U.S. government has not named Russia or any other actor as being responsible.
What Tech Companies Are Saying
Two tech companies, Microsoft and FireEye, are sharing insights about the attack.
In a blog post late December 13, Microsoft said, “we believe this is nation-state activity at a significant scale, aimed at both the government and private sector.”
Tech company, FireEye, said they’ve identified, “a global campaign that introduces a compromise into the networks of public and private organizations through the software supply chain.” FireEye reported that the hackers were believed to be Russians.
However, on Monday, December 14, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, dismissed allegations that Russia was involved in the attack.
Cybersecurity In The News
Cybersecurity is a hot topic these days and has been front and center in the news. Less than one month ago, Christopher Krebs was fired from his position as director of CSIA.
As the director of CSIA, Krebs was responsible for maintaining integrity for the elections.
On election day, Krebs called on Americans to be patient and “to treat all sensational and unverified claims with scepticism.” Krebs had publically stated that his agency had not found any evidence that the elections were under cyberattack.
Sources close to Krebs identify him as a public servant, devoted to protecting the sanctity and safety of the elections. In spite of his stellar reputation for public service, and praise from both Democrats and Republicans, Krebs is no longer the top official for cybersecurity.
Numerous allegations and lawsuits have been brought over the 2020 election by the Trump campaign. However, the courts have repeatedly dismissed these suits.
Sum Up
With recent breaches, it’s no wonder cybersecurity is on everyone’s mind.
As the events unfold and more information comes to light, the big looming question for many people is: “Is our data safe?”
This is true for government organizations and for private enterprise. If your organization is grappling with concerns about cyberattacks, now is the time to be proactive.
With advanced technology, you can quickly detect and prevent cybersecurity threats.
Resecurity is the simplest way to protect your valuable data.
If you’d like to explore how this can help you and your organization detect and prevent cyberattacks, please reach out to us. To learn more, check us out.