Dark Web Cyberattack Leaked Personal Info Of More Than 3,000 Congressional Staffers

All internet users encounter some risk of being targeted by a cyber criminal, but some potential victims are clearly more valuable than others.

That fact appeared to be proven during a recent cyberattack that targeted thousands of Capitol Hill staffers.

According to the Washington Times:

Personal information for some 3,191 congressional staffers has been leaked across the dark web, according to new research from internet security firm Proton being released Tuesday.

The firm said the data available in the hidden online hubs includes passwords, IP addresses and information from social media platforms.

“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. “This situation highlights a critical security lapse, where sensitive work-related emails became entangled with less secure, third-party platforms.”

The troubling news sparked significant social media discussion:

Love to see our tax dollars hard at work! Maybe they should spend more time securing their networks and less time on Tinder. But hey, at least they’re finally learning how the internet works… kinda.

— MAG2A us (@armsparts2) September 24, 2024

Well now folks, isn't this an interesting event. Capital Hill has been successfully breached. Personal information of more than 3,000 congressional staffers has been leaked across the dark web in a wide-ranging cyberattack on the Capitol, according to reports. Internet security…

— BelieveInAmericaFreedom (@IBelieveUSA001) September 25, 2024

Really unsurprising given the age of many systems on Capitol Hill.

US Capitol Hit by Massive Dark Web Cyber Attack: Reports https://t.co/6Ugf7dgmf1

— Alan W. Silberberg 🟦 🇺🇸 (@IdeaGov) September 24, 2024

As the Daily Caller pointed out, this is just the latest evidence of an increased cybersecurity threat within the U.S. political system:

Cybersecurity threats have become increasingly pernicious in recent years, with a growing number of attacks involving potential election interference. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump recently claimed internal campaign communications had been hacked by “foreign sources hostile to the United States.”

Here’s some coverage of Trump’s previous announcement about the campaign hack: