CBO Confirms Cyberattack, Takes Immediate Action to Contain Breach

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office has confirmed it was hacked, with officials revealing that the agency is investigating the breach and has taken immediate action to contain it. Caitlin Emma, a spokesperson for CBO, told TechCrunch on Friday that the agency has identified the security incident and implemented additional monitoring and new security controls to further protect its systems going forward. According to The Washington Post, which first revealed the breach, unspecified foreign hackers were behind the intrusion. CBO officials are worried that the hackers accessed internal emails and chat logs, as well as communications between lawmakers' offices and CBO researchers. Reuters reported that the Senate Sergeant at Arms office, the Senate's law enforcement agency, notified congressional offices of a breach, warning them that emails between CBO and the offices could have been compromised and used to craft and send phishing attacks. "It's unclear how the hackers gained access to the system, but we are working closely with the relevant authorities to determine the extent of the breach and to prevent future incidents," Emma said. The CBO spokesperson emphasized that the agency is taking the breach seriously and is committed to protecting its systems and data. The Congressional Budget Office is a nonpartisan agency that provides economic analysis and cost estimates to lawmakers during the federal budget process, including after legislative bills get approved at the committee level in the House and Senate. The agency plays a critical role in informing lawmakers about the potential costs and benefits of various policy proposals. The breach raises concerns about the security of sensitive information and the potential for cyber attacks to compromise the integrity of the legislative process. "This is a serious incident that highlights the need for greater vigilance and investment in cybersecurity measures to protect against these types of threats," said a cybersecurity expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The CBO has not disclosed the exact nature of the breach or the extent of the damage, but officials have confirmed that the agency is working closely with the relevant authorities to determine the extent of the breach and to prevent future incidents. The agency has also implemented additional security controls to further protect its systems going forward. As the investigation continues, lawmakers and cybersecurity experts are calling for greater transparency and accountability in the wake of the breach. "We need to know more about the breach and how it happened, and we need to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future," said a Senate staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The CBO has promised to provide regular updates on the investigation and to take steps to protect its systems and data.