Staff Reports
A major data breach has occurred on Capitol Hill, with hundreds of lawmakers and staff having their personal information exposed. The FBI believes that data from members of both the House and Senate have been taken. This shocking news is yet another example of how vulnerable American institutions are to cyber attacks.
Scoop: CAO has informed members and staff that the FBI is looking into the fact that the "account information and PII of hundreds of Member and House staff were stolen." pic.twitter.com/HFHVAUf8nB
— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) March 8, 2023
“This is a very serious situation and it is imperative that those responsible for this breach are held accountable,” said Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. “We are working tirelessly to determine the extent of the damage and take measures to prevent further breaches from happening in the future.”
Major Data Breach Hits Hundreds of Lawmakers on Capitol Hillhttps://t.co/B172yqo1MN
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 9, 2023
The affected lawmakers and staff members were enrolled in DC Health Link, an online marketplace for healthcare coverage in Washington D.C. The breach has exposed their “Personal Identifiable Information”, which includes their full names, date of enrollment, relationship status, and email address. While this may not seem like sensitive information, it is important to note that identity theft and cyber related crimes can have long-lasting financial and emotional consequences.
The House chief administrative officer has confirmed that Speaker McCarthy and Democratic Leader Jeffries have formally requested additional information from DC Health Link regarding the data breach. Authorities are currently in the process of compiling a list of those who have been impacted. Lawmakers are also encouraging all those affected to freeze their family’s credit at Equifax, Experian, and Transunion to ensure their personal information remains safe.
This is a stark reminder that cybersecurity is a major national security issue that must be taken seriously. Republicans have long warned about the need to invest in cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks. It is time for Democrats to join us in this effort and take action to protect the American people from malicious cyber attacks.
