The Library of Congress revealed that hackers had breached its communications systems and gained access to email correspondence between congressional offices and library staff, including the Congressional Research Service, from January to September. The software vulnerability that allowed the hackers access has been addressed, and the library has referred the matter to law enforcement for investigation. The notice did not mention who was behind the hack, but the term “the adversary” was used, which is commonly used in the cybersecurity industry.
Cyber espionage operations are a common tactic used by countries such as China and Russia to target government networks and gather intelligence. Four years ago, Russian cyber spies were accused of hacking into software made by SolarWinds, giving access to U.S. agencies and private companies. China has also been accused of multiple cyberespionage operations, including hacking into American telecommunications companies and spying on recent presidential campaigns.
The U.S. government has accused both Russia and China of conducting sophisticated hacking operations, but both countries have denied these allegations. The Library of Congress breach highlights the ongoing threat of cyber attacks on government institutions and the need for increased cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information.
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