The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported on Thursday that it had experienced a cybersecurity breach, referring to it as a ‘security incident’ that posed vulnerabilities for a key arm of Congress. A spokesperson for the CBO stated that officials had already taken ‘immediate action to contain’ the breach while investigating the incident. The CBO, a nonpartisan agency tasked with providing economic and budgetary information to Congress, emphasized that it continually monitors for potential threats to its network and takes action to address them.
The Washington Post initially reported that the breach may have been perpetrated by a suspected foreign actor. However, details of the breach remain unconfirmed, and the CBO has not yet disclosed the extent of the breach or the potential impact on its operations. A spokesperson for the CBO, Caitlin Emma, stated, ‘Like other government agencies and private sector entities, CBO occasionally faces threats to its network and continually monitors to address those threats.’
While the CBO has taken steps to contain the breach, the incident has raised concerns about cybersecurity within the United States government. The Senate Rules Committee was briefed on the intrusion, according to a person familiar with the hack who had been granted anonymity to discuss the briefing. Additionally, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the nation’s key federal cyber defense agency, was initially approached for comment on the situation, but no response was received. Similarly, the FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they were investigating the incident.
As the CBO continues to assess the situation and work with federal cybersecurity agencies, the public remains concerned about the security of sensitive information held by government agencies. The incident underscores the increasing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and highlights the need for continued vigilance in cybersecurity measures. The implications of this breach remain unclear, but the CBO has reiterated its commitment to protecting its data and maintaining the integrity of its operations.