The US Transportation Department (USDOT) has suffered a severe cyberattack resulting in the theft of sensitive data belonging to both current and former employees. As per a Reuters report citing “sources briefed on the matter,” the incident has impacted a total of 237,000 individuals, including 114,000 current USDOT employees and 123,000 former ones.
The agency, responsible for overseeing the US transportation system, has reported the breach to Congress via email, clarifying that the attack was limited to specific systems utilized for administrative functions like employee transit benefits processing. The breached systems process TRANServe transit benefits, which reimburse government workers for some commuting costs.
USDOT has not provided information regarding which data was compromised or whether there is sufficient information to conduct identity theft attacks. Neither has it disclosed whether any payment information was compromised or if the stolen data has already been exploited for criminal activities. The agency has, however, confirmed that safety systems for transportation have not been impacted and that it is currently investigating the attack.
The transit benefit system’s access has been frozen until the organization deems it safe again. As per the Reuters report, the maximum benefit allowance is $280 per month for federal employee mass transit commuting costs.
Investigating the threat actor USDOT has stated that it is currently investigating the incident and that it is unclear which threat actor is responsible for the attack. The agency has frozen access to the transit benefit system until it has taken the necessary steps to ensure its safety.
Government agencies and their staff are frequently targeted by cybercriminals, with both state-sponsored and profit-motivated entities seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and steal sensitive data. In some cases, employee information is used to launch more damaging attacks, while in others, it is sold on the dark web for profit.
The US government recently banned the TikTok app from agency-issued mobile devices due to concerns surrounding national security. Moreover, the country is seeking to expand the ban using its RESTRICT act, citing online safety concerns.
This move comes in the wake of a recent report that found tracking pixels belonging to TikTok across numerous websites, including US government pages. While tracking pixels or web beacons are typically utilized for collecting data to deliver relevant ads, concerns have been raised about the data collected and how it might be used by Chinese companies and other entities within the country.
Lastly, the theft of sensitive data belonging to thousands of US government employees highlights the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals to organizations and their staff. As these attacks continue to become more frequent and sophisticated, it is critical for businesses and government agencies alike to invest in robust cybersecurity measures and best practices to prevent future incidents.
