US Government Details

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    US Government

    Washington, DC • 21000000 employees • Governments

    United States

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    Governments

    Security Incidents

    2

    The United States government is a federal democratic republic that operates through three primary branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. These branches derive their powers from the U.S. Constitution, with Congress holding legislative powers, the President executing executive powers, and the federal courts exercising judicial powers. This structure is designed to ensure a system of checks and balances, thereby preventing any single branch from gaining too much authority.

    In addition to the three core branches, the U.S. government comprises hundreds of federal agencies and commissions ...
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    Security Incidents

    US Government Breach of Sep 2024
    Severity Score
    Significant to High

    Type

    Data Breach

    Summary

    On September 26, 2024, the personal information of 3,191 congressional staffers was leaked on the dark web following a cyberattack on the U.S. Capitol. Security researchers from Proton and Constella Intelligence discovered passwords, IP addresses, and social media information among the leaked data. Over 1,800 passwords used by congressional staffers were found exposed, with nearly 1 in 5 staffers affected. The compromised data came from various sources including social media, dating apps, and adult websites, emphasizing poor security practices such as using official email addresses for third-p...
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    Severity

    In a significant cybersecurity incident, the personal information of 3,191 congressional staffers was leaked on the dark web. The compromised data includes passwords, IP addresses, and social media information, stemming from the usage of official email addresses for third-party services that were later breached. This exposure affects nearly 1 in 5 congressional staffers, posing severe risks to personal and potentially national security, especially in light of the upcoming Presidential election.

    Given the breadth of sensitive information exposed and the potential implications for both personal...
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    Impact

    The recent cyber incident involving the U.S. Capitol resulted in the exposure of personal information belonging to approximately 3,191 congressional staffers on the dark web. This data breach compromised sensitive information, including passwords, IP addresses, and social media details. The source of the data appears to be the use of official congressional email addresses for signing up on various third-party services, including dating and adult websites, which were later breached.

    Although no systems or services were reported to be taken offline, the volume of exposed accounts is of signific...
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    US Government Breach of Sep 2024
    Severity Score
    High

    Type

    Phishing Attack

    Summary

    On September 17, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the indictment of Song Wu, a Chinese national, for conducting a sophisticated spear-phishing campaign from January 2017 to December 2021. Wu targeted individuals working within several U.S. government agencies, including NASA, the Air Force, Navy, Army, and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as employees at major research universities and private sector companies involved in aerospace engineering and military applications.

    The indictment alleges that Wu, employed as an engineer at the state-owned Aviation Industry Corpo...
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    Severity

    The cyber incident involving Song Wu represents a significant event, operating through a sophisticated spear-phishing campaign that spanned nearly five years. The unauthorized access to specialized, restricted software and source code, particularly within aerospace engineering and military applications, underscores the high-value nature of the exfiltrated data. Although there's no confirmed exposure of customer data or disruption of services, the potential compromise of intellectual property poses substantial national security risks, especially given the involvement of U.S. government agencies...
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    Impact

    The cyber incident involving Song Wu represents a sophisticated spear-phishing campaign that began in January 2017 and continued until December 2021. This event primarily revolves around the unauthorized access to specialized, restricted software and source code, which are considered highly valuable intellectual property, especially within the context of aerospace engineering and military applications.

    While there is no explicit confirmation that customer data was exposed, the target selection—encompassing U.S. government agencies, research universities, and private aerospace companies—impli...
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