Hackers accessed the data because the home computer of the targeted NSA contractor was running Kaspersky software, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Hackers backed by the Russian government reportedly made off with classified cyber secrets from the NSA.
Hackers backed by the Russian government stole highly classified cyber secrets in 2015 after an NSA contractor placed the information on his home computer, according to The Wall Street Journal .
Secrets stolen in the hack included information on penetrating foreign computer networks and protecting against cyberattacks, according to the Wall Street Journal. Hackers were able to access the data because the contractor was running antivirus software from Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab, the newspaper reported, cutting anonymous sources.
The information stolen in the breach, considered one of the most significant in recent years, could give the Russian government tips on how to make its networks more secure. The theft occurred in 2015 but wasn’t discovered until spring of 2016, the Journal reported.
The revelation comes amid heightened concerns in Washington that hackers working for the Russian government penetrated US computer networks and tapped social media platforms to meddle with the US 2016 election. Government investigators are examining whether the Russian government may have attempted to influence the electorate, and whether President Donald Trump or anyone working for him was knowingly involved. Trump has repeatedly denied involvement.
Neither the NSA nor Kaspersky responded to requests for comment.
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