Mega hack hit ‘heart’ of US Finance | Abroad

Wyden made the statement Monday after a behind-closed-door briefing. The cyberattack on the Treasury Department “appears to be significant,” said Wyden. Dozens of email accounts, he says, have been compromised. “In addition, the hackers broke into the systems of the Departmental Offices of the ministry, where the highest officials of the Treasury work,” said the senator. “The ministry still does not know what the hackers have done or what information exactly has been stolen.”

Numerous ministries

The US government admitted last week that hackers were able to penetrate the computer systems of multiple ministries. The hackers succeeded by hijacking the security software of the American software company SolarWinds. So far, the government has admitted that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Finance, Homeland Security and National Health Institutes have been burgled.

Intelligence informed parliamentarians, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Justice Bill Barr have all said Russia is behind the attack. However, some officials believe it is too early to be sure who carried out the cyber attack.

China and Russia

The Kremlin denies any involvement. President Donald Trump, who frequently defended Russia on allegations of hacking and unauthorized interference during his tenure, downplayed the cyber attack and suggested that China may be behind it.

Secretary Barr, who is considered a Trump adherent, was on Monday, by joining his colleague Pompeo, the last to side with the president when it comes to the cyber attack. A week ago it was announced that Barr will be leaving as minister on Wednesday.

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