Library of Congress Email System Hacked
Cyber Breach Exposes Congressional Communications
An unidentified "adversary" hacked into the email system for the Library of Congress, accessing information sent via email between January and September 2024, the Library said.
Investigation Underway
Law enforcement and the Capitol are investigating the hack. It is not yet clear who the adversary is or when precisely the hack took place.
Impact on Congressional Offices
The only things affected were "email communications between congressional offices and some Library staff, including the Congressional Research Service," sent between January and September of this year.
Library’s Response
The Library has mitigated the vulnerability that the adversary used to access the environment and has taken measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
What Was Compromised
The hack only affected email communications between congressional offices and some Library staff, including the Congressional Research Service, sent between January and September of this year.
Other Systems Not Compromised
The House and Senate use different email networks than the Library of Congress, and the library says those networks "were not compromised in any way." The U.S. Copyright Office system was also not compromised.
Conclusion
The Library of Congress has taken steps to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent similar incidents in the future. The investigation is ongoing to identify the adversary and determine the extent of the hack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happened?
A: An unidentified "adversary" hacked into the email system for the Library of Congress, accessing information sent via email between January and September 2024.
Q: What was compromised?
A: Email communications between congressional offices and some Library staff, including the Congressional Research Service, sent between January and September of this year.
Q: Were other systems compromised?
A: No, the House and Senate email networks and the U.S. Copyright Office system were not compromised.
Q: What is being done to prevent future incidents?
A: The Library has mitigated the vulnerability that the adversary used to access the environment and has taken measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
