Congressional Staffers’ Data Leaked on Dark Web

Personal data from over 3,000 U.S. congressional staffers has been found on the dark web following a major cyberattack on the Capitol. Security firm Proton, in collaboration with Constella Intelligence, identified that nearly 20% of staffers were affected, with over 1,800 passwords exposed. The data leaks originated from various sources, including social media, dating apps, and adult websites, due to official emails being used for these services.

Proton highlighted severe security lapses, noting that compromised credentials could have serious implications for national security. Some staffers had multiple passwords exposed, with one individual having 31 compromised credentials. Proton has reached out to the affected individuals and plans to publish further findings to bolster cybersecurity ahead of the elections.

The dark web, often utilized by hackers to buy and sell stolen data, continues to pose significant risks. This incident adds to the ongoing wave of cyberattacks targeting sensitive information, similar to the recent Florida data center breach that leaked billions of Social Security records. These threats underscore the urgent need for strengthened cybersecurity measures to safeguard both personal and institutional data.

Source: Newsweek

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