The U.S. Congressional Budget Office has identified a security breach which has been linked to nation-state backed cyber-criminals.
The attack, confirmed by the department on Thursday, is believed to have targeted email systems.
The Washington Post first reported on the attack, quoting anonymous sources that claim the attack has been linked to foreign actors. This information has not been verified by the CBO.
In a statement, CBO spokesperson Caitlin Emma said: “The Congressional Budget Office has identified the security incident, has taken immediate action to contain it, and has implemented additional monitoring and new security controls to further protect the agency’s systems going forward.”
Officials explain that once the incident was identified, steps were taken to end contain the breach, including the implementation of additional monitoring and new security controls.
However, some congressional officials are reported to have stopped email contact with the CBO to allay security concerns.
The exact nature and severity of the breach is currently unclear.
The CBO generates reports for the government, calculating spending projections, cost estimates, and economic analysis. It is a nonpartisan organization, based in Washington.
Due to its role within government, any breaches could potentially expose draft reports, economic forecasts, and other sensitive internal communications.
