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The computer breach at Falls Church,
Virginia-based US Investigations Services (USIS) probably
involved the theft of personal information about DHS employees,
according to the Washington Post, which first reported the
story.
DHS said it had suspended all work with the company amid an
investigation by the FBI. A "multi-agency cyber response team is
working with the company to identify the scope of the
intrusion," DHS spokesman Peter Boogaard said in a statement.
"At this time, our forensic analysis has concluded that some DHS
personnel may have been affected, and DHS has notified its
entire workforce, out of an abundance of caution, to advise them
to monitor their financial accounts for suspicious activity," he
said, adding that employees whose data had likely been
compromised would be informed.
The Office of Personnel Management had also suspended work with
USIS, the Post said, adding that government officials do not
believe the breach has affected non-DHS employees.
"We are working collaboratively with OPM and DHS to resolve this
matter quickly and look forward to resuming service on all our
contracts with them as soon as possible," USIS said in the
statement on its website. (http://www.usis.com/Media-Release-Detail.aspx?dpid=151)
"We will support the authorities in the investigation and any
prosecution of those determined to be responsible for this
criminal attack," it said.
"Experts who have reviewed the facts gathered to-date believe it
has all the markings of a state-sponsored attack," the company
said.
USIS says it is the biggest commercial provider of background
investigations to the federal government, has over 5,700
employees and provides services in all U.S. states and
territories, as well as abroad.
(Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Eric Beech)
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