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Over 3,000 congressional staffers have had their data listed on the dark web, according to new reports.
As discovered through research conducted by internet security company Proton, the passwords, IP addresses and social media information of 3,191 congressional staff has been published on the dark web by criminals as a result of poor cyber practices.
Working with Constella Intelligence, Proton discovered 1,848 passwords that belonged to congressional staffers, with 31 passwords belonging to one staffer alone.
It also said that the data of almost one in five congressional staffers is publicly available, and that almost 300 congressional staffers had their data leaked in over 10 separate data leaks.
Unlike what some media outlets are reporting, the leak is not likely the result of a single cyber attack or campaign, but rather poor security practices.
“Many of these leaks likely occurred because staffers used their official email addresses to sign up for various services, including high-risk sites such as dating and adult websites, which were later compromised in data breaches,” Proton said in a statement seen by media.
“This situation highlights a critical security lapse, where sensitive work-related emails became entangled with less secure, third-party platforms.”
Proton says that as the cyber security practices of congressional staffers are “more critical than ever” in light of the upcoming US presidential election, it would be publishing more regarding its research on its blog.
“The volume of exposed accounts among US political staffers is alarming, and the potential consequences of compromised accounts could be severe,” Proton head of account security Eamonn Maguire said.
“Vigilance and strict security measures are essential to safeguard personal and national security.”
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