Suspected Russian hackers gained access to US homeland security emails

Suspected Russian hackers gained access to email accounts belonging to the Trump administration’s head of homeland security (DHS) and members of cybersecurity staff whose jobs included hunting threats from foreign countries, the Associated Press (AP) has learned.

The intelligence value of the hacking of then acting secretary Chad Wolf and his staff is not publicly known but the symbolism is stark. Their accounts were accessed in what is known as the SolarWinds intrusion, throwing into question how the US government can protect individuals, companies and institutions if it can’t protect itself.

“The SolarWinds hack was a victory for our foreign adversaries and a failure for DHS,” said Rob Portman, top Republican on the Senate homeland security committee. “We are talking about DHS’s crown jewels.”

The Biden administration has tried to keep a tight lid on the scope of the SolarWinds attack as it weighs retaliatory measures against Russia. But an inquiry by the AP found new details about the breach at DHS and other agencies, including the energy department, where hackers accessed top officials’ private schedules.

The AP interviewed more than a dozen current and former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.