Senate Democrat says cyberattack on Treasury 'appears to be significant' | TheHill - The Hill

Sen. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenNegotiators resolve last-minute issues as COVID-relief bill moves toward finish line Hillicon Valley: Google hit with another antitrust lawsuit by states | Federal government finds evidence hackers used multiple methods to access agency networks | Energy Dept., nuclear agency breached as part of massive cyberattack: report Senators request IRS briefing on SolarWinds hack MORE (D-Ore.) said on Monday that a cyberattack at the Department of Treasury reported by media outlets last week “appears to be significant.”

Wyden, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the statement after the committee’s staff was briefed by the Treasury Department and the IRS about the hack of the IT company SolarWinds. 

The Oregon senator said the IRS reported “no evidence that IRS was compromised or taxpayer data was affected,” but he added, “However, the hack of the Treasury Department appears to be significant.”

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“According to Treasury staff, the agency suffered a serious breach, beginning in July, the full depth of which isn’t known,” Wyden said. “Microsoft notified the agency that dozens of email accounts were compromised.”

“Additionally the hackers broke into systems in the Departmental Offices division of Treasury, home to the department’s highest-ranking officials,” he added. “Treasury still does not know all of the actions taken by hackers, or precisely what information was stolen.”

Wyden then slammed government officials who have been “advocating for encryption backdoors, and ignoring warnings from cybersecurity experts who said that encryption keys become irresistible targets for hackers.” 

“The USG has now suffered a breach that seems to involve skilled hackers stealing encryption keys from USG servers,” he said.

The Oregon Democrat’s statement follows reports from media outlets that several federal agencies were hacked this year through the cyberattack on SolarWinds. According to The Washington Post, the cyberattack was conducted by a Russian military intelligence group called “Cozy Bear.”

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Last week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) gave an emergency order for federal departments to stop using SolarWinds products. 

Wyden and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles GrassleyChuck GrassleyNegotiators resolve last-minute issues as COVID-relief bill moves toward finish line Hillicon Valley: Lawmakers ask whether massive hack amounted to act of war | Microsoft says systems were exposed in massive SolarWinds hack | Senators push to keep tech liability shield out of UK trade agreement Senators push to keep tech liability shield out of UK trade agreement MORE (R-Ky.) requested the IRS brief the committee on whether sensitive taxpayer information was suspected to have been leaked in the hack. 

Wyden also partnered with Senate Banking Committee ranking member Sherrod BrownSherrod Campbell BrownFight over Federal Reserve powers holding up year-end deal Senators request IRS briefing on SolarWinds hack Schiff calls for 'urgent' work to defend nation in the wake of massive cyberattack MORE (D-Ohio) to call on Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven MnuchinWhat is in the 0 billion coronavirus relief bill Negotiators resolve last-minute issues as COVID-relief bill moves toward finish line Senators reach deal on Fed powers, setting stage for coronavirus relief passage MORE to provide more information on the breach of the department.

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Senate Democrat says cyberattack on Treasury 'appears to be significant' | TheHill - The Hill
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