Russian hackers reportedly breached U.S. government agencies

Hackers working on behalf of the Russian government have gained access to at least two U.S. government networks, spending months monitoring staff emails at the Treasury Department and the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Intelligence agencies are worried that the hackers have also broken into other government agencies, the sources said, and are trying to determine what information was stolen and how it could be used. "This is a much bigger story than one single agency," a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. "This is a huge cyber espionage campaign targeting the U.S. government and its interests."
The investigation into the hacking is in its early stages, and several people familiar with the matter told Reuters, The New York Times, and The Washington Post that Russia is believed to be behind the attack. The breaches are thought to be connected to the hacking that targeted FireEye, a cybersecurity firm with government contracts, and the matter is so serious that the National Security Council held an emergency meeting at the White House on Saturday, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
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.
National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement the U.S. government "is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation." The Commerce Department confirmed the hacking at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, saying, "We have asked the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI to investigate, and we cannot comment further at this time."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Trump U-turns on weapons to Ukraine
Speed Read Unhappy with Putin, Trump decides the US will go back to arming Ukraine against Russia's attacks
-
Ukraine scrambles as Trump cuts weapons deliveries
Speed Read The halting of weapons shipments was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a Ukraine funding skeptic
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program