Secret Network of US Marshall Infiltrated by Hackers
On February 17 the U.S. Marshals Service "discovered a ransomware and data exfiltration event affecting a stand-alone USMS system." The unidentified hackers infiltrated a network used by the Technical Operations Group (TOG) to track fugitives, reports the Washington Post. The precise activities of the service are kept secret.
US Marshals Service spokesperson Drew Wade said no one in the witness protection program is in danger because of the breach. Nevertheless, the official said, the incident is significant, affecting law enforcement sensitive information pertaining to the subjects of Marshals Service investigations.
The agency developed a workaround enabling the unit to continue operations and efforts to track down fugitives. “Most critical tools” related to the affected computer network “were restored within 30 days of the breach discovery” in February, Wade told CNN, declining to explain what those critical tools were. The network remains compromised nearly 3 months after being hit.
The Technical Operations Group (TOG) network provides surveillance capabilities to track fugitives. The group operates 29 field offices in the US and Mexico and uses high-tech methods to track fugitives.
Incident Date
February 17, 2023
Location
Estimated Cost
Network disrupted for nearly 3 mts