Hackers targeted FEC, prompting preelection ‘threat hunt’ – Washington Examiner
Hackers targeted the Federal Election Commission (FEC) earlier this year, prompting the agency to overhaul its website and initiate a “threat hunt” just before the 2024 election. The Department of Homeland Security alerted FEC officials in April about attempts by unknown sources to sell FEC data from its online system. Fortunately, the data being sold was mostly public information, including donor reports and FEC decision papers. However, the identities of the hackers remain unknown, and officials cannot confirm the extent of any potential breach. This incident follows a history of similar attacks, including one over a decade ago attributed to hackers from China. The FBI has cautioned that political hacking is expected to escalate leading up to the election, raising concerns about its impact on the electoral process.
Hackers targeted FEC, prompting preelection ‘threat hunt’
Hackers targeted the Federal Election Commission earlier this year, prompting the agency to move swiftly to revamp its website and launch a “threat hunt” just weeks before the 2024 election.
Secrets learned this week that the Department of Homeland Security told FEC officials in April that they had detected evidence that unknown sources were trying to sell FEC data taken from its online system.
The good news for the FEC is that what was apparently being peddled was “public” information, such as the reports from campaigns about donors and FEC decision papers.
The bad news is that the hacker remains unknown. Worse, officials can’t determine if there was an actual hack and, if there was, how deep it went.
A little over 10 years ago during a budget-sparked government shutdown, officials said that hackers from China hit the FEC system.
The new report comes just weeks after officials said that former President Donald Trump’s website was hacked by Iran and that information in that system was pushed to media and other sources.
The FBI has warned that political hacking is sure to happen before the election and could interfere with the process.
In a memo sent out this week, FEC Staff Director Alec Palmer told the two congressional committees that oversee the agency that the hack, or potential hack, prompted a switch to a new internal system that has improved security.
“The FEC continues to coordinate with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate a potential breach of the legacy legal search systems,” said Palmer in a memo sent yesterday to the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Committee on House Administration.
Also, Palmer said that the agency has launched a search in the new system for threats.
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“FEC has requested CISA to conduct a ‘Threat Hunt,’ which is currently underway. FEC teams are working closely with CISA and stand ready to respond should CISA detect any Indicators of Compromise,” Palmer added.
A person familiar with the investigation told Secrets, “There was a ‘potential breach’ and ‘a significant number of exploitation attempts,’ but assessments of whether there was an actual compromise have been inconclusive. We’re continuing to work on the issue.”
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