The Yahoo breach might have seriously compromised national security


Yahoo announced Wednesday that more than a billion user accounts could have been compromised in a 2013 hack. Among that number are more than 150,000 U.S. government or military employees, Bloomberg reports: "These employees had given their official government accounts to Yahoo in case they were ever locked out of their email," they write.
Criminals or foreign intelligence services could now have the names, passwords, phone numbers, birthdays, and security questions of government employees, potentially compromising national security. Government employees, even low level ones, are appealing targets for hackers, who will go down the list "one by one," Frank Zou of HoloNet Security told Bloomberg. "They're easy targets."
Government accounts compromised by the Yahoo hack include current and former White House staff, U.S. congressmen, FBI agents, officials at the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, international diplomats, and all of the branches of the military. "The difference of Yahoo hack between any other hack is in that it may really destroy your privacy," cybersecurity researcher Andrew Komarov said, "and potentially have already destroyed it several years ago without your knowledge."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Mrs Warren's Profession: 'tour-de-force' from Imelda Staunton and daughter Bessie Carter
The Week Recommends Mother-daughter duo bring new life to George Bernard Shaw's morality play
-
The origins of the Taiwan Strait crisis
In Depth For over 75 years, the Republic and People’s Republic of China have confronted each other across the Taiwan Strait, a highly contested sea passage separating the two nations
-
How the Arctic became a geopolitical flashpoint
The Explainer The UK is working with Nato allies in the Arctic Circle to prepare for potential Russian aggression
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect