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>>60939
Missed bakes
Cyber criminals target Congress: 60 members from both parties are left UNABLE TO ACCESS data for weeks in latest ransomware hack
> In latest ransomware attack, members of Congress are hacked
> At least 60 lawmakers left unable to access constituent data for weeks
> Target was iConstituent, a tech vendor that provides constituent services
> Issue is still being resolved as lawmaker frustration grows
> Unclear who is responsible for attack
> US government and companies have been targeted by Russian cyber hackers
> President Biden will discuss matter with Putin when they meet next week
At least 60 members of Congress from both parties have been unable to access data for weeks in the latest ransomware attack to strike the United States.
The target was iConstituent, a tech vendor that provides constituent outreach services to dozens of House offices, including a newsletter service that allows lawmakers to communicate with residents in their districts and a service to track constituent casework.
It's the latest cyber attack after a series of hacks against the US executive branch and American companies have left many institutions feeling vulnerable and the Biden administration struggling to deal with the situation.
The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, which handles IT security for the House of Representatives, said there was 'no impact' on overall House data and it was working with the company to resolve the situation.
'At this time, the CAO is not aware of any impact to House data. The CAO is coordinating with the impacted offices supported by iConstituent and has taken measures to ensure that the attack does not affect the House network and offices' data,' the office said in a statement.
At least 60 lawmakers were left unable to access constituent data for weeks in a ransomware attack that targeted Capitol Hill.
It's the latest cyber attack after a series of hacks against the US executive branch and American companies have left many institutions feeling vulnerable.
Several lawmaker offices list payments to iConstituent in the latest Statements of Disbursement, with payments in the thousands of dollars to the tech company.
News of the attack was first reported by Punchbowl News.
And frustration is building among lawmakers on the matter.
Rep. Rodney Davis, the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, told Punchbowl that he 'understands there is some frustration at the vendor in question here.'
It's unclear who was responsible for this latest attack. Russian actors were blamed for the Solarwinds attack last year, one on the Colonial Pipeline last month and the most recent attack on meat producer JBS USA. Gas and meat prices rose in the wake of the hacks.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken warned that Vladimir Putin will have to answer for the ransomware attacks when the Russian president meets with President Joe Biden next week.
'We would prefer to have a more stable, predictable relationship with Russia. We’ve made that clear. But we’ve made equally clear that if Russia chooses to act aggressively or recklessly toward us or toward our allies and partners, we’ll respond,' Blinken told Axios' Mike Allen in an interview that aired on HBO.
'When it comes to these ransomware attacks, of course, we’ve already talked to the Russians about this. One of the things we’re seeing is that criminal enterprises seem to be engaged in these attacks. And it is an obligation on the part of any country, including Russia, if it has a criminal enterprise acting from its territory against anyone else, to do what’s necessary to stop it, to bring it to justice,' the secretary of state said.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken warned that Vladimir Putin will have to answer for the ransomware attacks on US companies +6
Secretary of State Tony Blinken warned that Vladimir Putin will have to answer for the ransomware attacks on US companies
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9664229/60-members-Congress-parties-victims-latest-ransomware-attack.html