Russian hackers broke into federal agencies, U.S. officials suspect

Hackers acting on behalf of a foreign government — almost certainly a Russian intelligence agency, according to federal and private experts — broke into a range of key government networks, including in the Treasury and Commerce Departments, and had free access to their email systems, according to The New York Times, which cites sources within the US administration itself. 

According to the newspaper, the hackers, who even had access to e-mail, almost certainly acted on behalf of a Russian intelligence agency in what has been described as one of the biggest and most sophisticated attacks on federal information systems in the past five years.

The Trump administration said little in public about the hack, which suggested that while the government was worried about Russian intervention in the 2020 election, key agencies working for the administration — and unrelated to the election — were actually the subject of a sophisticated attack that they were unaware of until recent weeks.

One government official said it was too early to assess the damage caused by the attacks and how much material was lost, but according to several officials, the attacks had already begun this spring, meaning they remained undetected during the pandemic and election months. 

“The United States government is aware of these reports, and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation,” John Ullyot, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said in a statement.

The Commerce Department acknowledged that one of its agencies had been affected, without naming it. But it appeared to be the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which helps determine policy for internet-related issues, including setting standards and blocking imports and exports of technology that is considered a national security risk. The motive for the attack on the agency and the Treasury Department remains elusive, two people familiar with the matter said.

News of the breach came less than a week after the National Security Agency, which is responsible for breaking into foreign computer networks and defending the most sensitive U.S. national security systems, issued a warning that “Russian state-sponsored actors” were exploiting flaws in a system broadly used in the federal government.