Officials informed lawmakers that Chinese hackers gained access to thousands of Treasury documents, including those related to Yellen
The briefing included representatives from the Treasury, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the FBI.
TroibNews 
Treasury and law enforcement officials informed lawmakers on Wednesday that Chinese hackers accessed over 3,000 unclassified agency files during a cybersecurity breach last year, as revealed by an individual present at a classified briefing for House members on Capitol Hill.
During the briefing, officials reported that the hackers infiltrated a limited number of unclassified files associated with prominent officials, including Secretary Janet Yellen, Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith. Other entities targeted in the breach included the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to the anonymous source discussing unclassified aspects of the closed-door meeting.
The session took place in a secure location within the Capitol for members of the House Financial Services Committee, featuring representatives from the Treasury, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the FBI. Another briefing for the Senate Banking Committee is scheduled for Thursday.
The Treasury Department has opted not to provide a comment on the situation.
The breach occurred between September 30 and November 18, executed by a Chinese state-sponsored hacker through the department's third-party vendor, BeyondTrust. The company notified Treasury on December 8 about the hackers gaining access to their data due to a vulnerability in a third-party product utilized by the department.
Officials disclosed to lawmakers that the hackers compromised 419 Treasury computers and at least 3,029 files, with an analysis of Treasury's logs revealing that only unclassified information was affected.
During the briefing, Treasury officials emphasized that the incident unfolded against a backdrop of increased threats to online security. They reported success in thwarting numerous cyberattacks, prompting hackers to redirect their focus towards third-party vendors.
In comparison to other recent breaches, such as the 2023 incident involving hacked emails of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, this particular hack was characterized as more contained.
Concerns regarding BeyondTrust's cooperation in the investigation were also raised by Treasury officials, who indicated that the department is looking into alternative options for the company.
“There was a lot discussion related to third-party contracting, and that will be an issue that will be on our table … just whether there are high-level policies we get wrong involving the use of third parties — when it’s appropriate and when it’s not,” stated Rep. Bill Foster.
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
During the briefing, officials reported that the hackers infiltrated a limited number of unclassified files associated with prominent officials, including Secretary Janet Yellen, Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith. Other entities targeted in the breach included the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to the anonymous source discussing unclassified aspects of the closed-door meeting.
The session took place in a secure location within the Capitol for members of the House Financial Services Committee, featuring representatives from the Treasury, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the FBI. Another briefing for the Senate Banking Committee is scheduled for Thursday.
The Treasury Department has opted not to provide a comment on the situation.
The breach occurred between September 30 and November 18, executed by a Chinese state-sponsored hacker through the department's third-party vendor, BeyondTrust. The company notified Treasury on December 8 about the hackers gaining access to their data due to a vulnerability in a third-party product utilized by the department.
Officials disclosed to lawmakers that the hackers compromised 419 Treasury computers and at least 3,029 files, with an analysis of Treasury's logs revealing that only unclassified information was affected.
During the briefing, Treasury officials emphasized that the incident unfolded against a backdrop of increased threats to online security. They reported success in thwarting numerous cyberattacks, prompting hackers to redirect their focus towards third-party vendors.
In comparison to other recent breaches, such as the 2023 incident involving hacked emails of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, this particular hack was characterized as more contained.
Concerns regarding BeyondTrust's cooperation in the investigation were also raised by Treasury officials, who indicated that the department is looking into alternative options for the company.
“There was a lot discussion related to third-party contracting, and that will be an issue that will be on our table … just whether there are high-level policies we get wrong involving the use of third parties — when it’s appropriate and when it’s not,” stated Rep. Bill Foster.
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
