DHS cites risk to more than 40,000 personnel in effort to take leaked data offline
The Department of Homeland Security asked an Icelandic hosting company to take down data obtained through hack The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked an Icelandic hosting company on Thursday to take down or limit access to data related to thousands of agency personnel, saying the content put them at risk, according to the request posted online by hosting company FlokiNET. The database “places more…
Key points
- DHS asked Icelandic host FlokiNET to remove leaked data on over 40,000 personnel.
- FlokiNET's CEO said the data covers work addresses and work phone numbers, not personal details.
- DDoSecrets published the data Wednesday; a group called "the Department of Peace" claimed responsibility.
The US Department of Homeland Security asked an Icelandic hosting company on Thursday to take down or restrict access to leaked data on thousands of agency personnel, according to the request posted online by the host, FlokiNET. The request said the database "places more than 40,000 identifiable individuals at risk of harassment, stalking and physical harm".
ZeroFox, a company authorized by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pursue content removal, cited that figure in an email to FlokiNET. A DHS spokesperson said the agency is aware of a potential breach and is working to address it.
Host declines to remove data
FlokiNET CEO Kolja Weber told Reuters his company would not remove the DHS data. He said it contained government employee work addresses and work phone numbers, not personal phone numbers and addresses.
is aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively
— A DHS spokesperson
Release and claimed responsibility
The non-profit data transparency group DDoSecrets released data on more than 40,000 DHS personnel on its website on Wednesday, alongside a separate searchable database built by hacker and journalist "maia arson crimew". The database was briefly inaccessible on Thursday but was soon republished at a different domain.
A group calling itself "the Department of Peace" claimed responsibility for obtaining the data. In a statement on Wednesday, it said DHS employees "have our information, so it's only fair that we have theirs". Privacy advocates have criticized DHS use of personal data from other agencies, including Medicaid records and taxpayer data, for immigration enforcement.
