Leaked DHS Data Exposes Contact Info for 40,000 Federal Workers

A nonprofit group released a massive set of personal data on Wednesday that exposes the contact information of more than 40,000 Department of Homeland Security employees. The release includes details on officials working in sensitive fields such as surveillance and human intelligence. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it is aware of the potential breach.

The data identifies specific components within the department, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. It lists names, phone numbers, and email addresses for the affected staff. The records also contain job titles and email group memberships. These details reveal which agents were assigned to special operations, computer forensics, and undercover work.

Emma Best, a co-founder of the group behind the release, stated that the data was obtained from the Okta sign-on service used by the department. She said the leak was sourced from an entity calling itself the Department of Peace. Best described the new search tool as a way to replace anonymity with accountability. The group aims to help journalists and strengthen congressional oversight.

The Department of Peace claimed it had hacked the department back in March. It stated that DHS employees have the public's information, so it is fair to have theirs. The group hoped the data would limit further harm by the department. Okta disputed the claim of a breach, saying it had no evidence its data or systems were compromised. The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is the third major government data leak in the past month. The hacking group ShinyHunters claimed in September to have stolen data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Last week, the Defense Department faced a class action lawsuit after a breach exposed data on millions of military personnel. The Department of Homeland Security said it is working to protect its employees and will update the public when more information is available.

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the entire data set. However, the outlet matched personal information on six employees to credit bureau records. Reuters also confirmed the phone numbers of three employees directly. One employee said it was the first they had heard of a breach. In some cases, the data revealed nonpublic details about internal organization charts or previously undisclosed programs.

The department stated it is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively. It said it is ensuring employees are properly protected. The group behind the leak built a tool that allows the public to browse the data. The release includes previously undisclosed operations and internal structures.