New information has been released about the SolarWinds hack in which suspected Russian nationals gained access to US agencies’ systems, with the Department of Homeland Security conceding that the threat actors gained access to email accounts belonging to the head of the agency, Chad Wolf. Other department employees’ emails were also compromised, including those who worked in the threat hunting division. It is unclear what effect the email compromise has on national security at this point.
The new announcement questions whether the US can protect individuals, companies, and institutions across the country if it is unable to adequately protect itself from such a massive espionage campaign, which originated as a supply-chain attack. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio stated that the SolarWinds hack was a victory for foreign adversaries who are seeking to steal intellectual property and intelligence from the US. New details about the breach keep emerging, including another development in which the Energy Department stated that top official’s schedules were accessed.