(GoRealNewsNow.com) – HAPPENING NOW: Sensitive personal information of members of the United States House of Representatives and their staffers has been obtained by hackers. It is already being offered for sale online, a report reveals.
The information in question was stolen from the servers of DC Health Link, which administers the health care plans of House members, their families, and their staff.
The hacking breach is under investigation by the FBI, The Daily Caller reported.
The individuals whose personal data has been stolen were informed about it through an email by Catherine Szpindor, the US House Chief Administrative Officer.
“DC Health Link suffered a significant data breach yesterday potentially exposing the Personal Identifiable Information (PII) of thousands of enrollees. As a Member or employee eligible for health insurance through the DC. Health Link, your data may have been comprised,” Szpindor wrote.
“Currently, I do not know the size and scope of the breach, but have been informed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that account information and PII of hundreds of Member and House staff were stolen,” she added.
“It is important to note that at this time, it does not appear that Members or the House of Representatives were the specific target of the attack,” the top House administrator revealed.
Shortly after the breach became known, it emerged that at least one threat actor called IntelBroker was already selling the US House member’s data stolen from DC Health Link’s servers on a hacking forum, Bleeping Computer reported.
It revealed that a sample of the data and the database header showed the stolen set had the personal information of about 170,000 people.
It includes “their names, dates of birth, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security Numbers, and much more.”
IntelBroker put the data on sale on Monday, March 6, alleging it had been stolen through a breach of the DC.gov Health Benefit Exchange Authority.
“I am looking for undisclosed amount in XMR crypto currency. Contact me on keybase @ IntelBroker. Middleman only,” the threat actor says.
IntelBroker said at least one buyer had already purchased the personal data of the US House members and their staff.
Adam Hudson, the Public Information Officer for Health Benefit Exchange Authority, confirmed some of the stolen DC Health Link information had been exposed online.
“We can confirm reports that data for some DC Health Link customers has been exposed on a public forum. We have initiated a comprehensive investigation and are working with forensic investigators and law enforcement,” Hudson said.
In a joint letter sent to the head of the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries disclosed that the FBI had bought some of the stolen information.
