DHS Breach: Over 40,000 Employee Records Exposed

More than 40,000 Department of Homeland Security employees had their personal information exposed on Wednesday. The data includes names, phone numbers, and home addresses. Among those affected are agents involved in undercover operations.

The hacking group behind the breach calls itself the Department of Peace. A spokesperson stated the attack was a reaction to DHS leadership. The group referenced a July 17 comment by Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who said he was 'turning up the heat.' The hackers claimed they accessed the data by exploiting DHS's single sign-on system. They distributed the files to the group Distributed Denial of Secrets. That organization posted the material in an online database named Icepick.

The Department of Peace also shared the data with journalist Ryan Ottignon and a Swiss hacker known as maia arson crimew. The two created a searchable index of the records. Ottignon noted that the technical work was performed by the hacker. The leak covers roughly a fifth of the Homeland Security workforce. The department employs a little more than 220,000 people.

Specific agency breakdowns show the scope of the exposure. More than 21,000 records identify employees with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Another 10,000 records relate to Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and its Homeland Security Investigations unit. Activists argue the information will help those filing freedom of information requests. They note that such requests often fail because applicants lack specific names and email addresses.

Emma Best, a cofounder of Distributed Denial of Secrets, called the leak 'extraordinary but deceptive in its simplicity.' She said the data makes explicit connections between officials overseeing covert operations and key personnel in rendition and deportation programs. In a statement, DHS said it was 'aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively.' The department added it is taking steps to 'ensure all are properly protected.'

Ottignon rejected the idea that the release constitutes doxing. He argued that public officials often hide their identities while enforcing laws. 'We need oversight for useful government, if it exists at all. So this is just one step in that oversight process,' Ottignon said. Distributed Denial of Secrets attached a note to the files. The note read, 'They have our information, so it's only fair that we have theirs.'

The breach follows similar hacking attacks on the FBI. The Department of Peace said it released the data to increase transparency. The searchable database remains available online. DHS continues its review of the security gap. The 40,000 affected employees include both active agents and associates.