|
 "Just like any entity that handles personally-identifiable
information, the White House has a responsibility to notify
Americans if the recent, or any future breach, results in a
compromise,” the committee chairman, John Thune, said in a statement
on Sunday accompanying the letter.
“If such information has been lost, the White House still has a
responsibility to victims even if it believes the hack was
perpetrated by foreign spies and not cyber thieves," Thune added.
The White House said last month that a CNN report that Russian
hackers penetrated sensitive parts of the White House computer
system referred to an incident it disclosed last year, and declined
to comment on who was responsible for the breach.
 It added that it took immediate measures at the time to evaluate and
mitigate the activity.
Asked about the Commerce Committee letter, White House National
Security Council spokesman Mark Stroh declined to comment further on
the breach, but said: "We have consistently supported timely
notification in the event of data breaches, consistent with existing
federal policy."
Thune in his letter to Obama said that while hackers did not appear
to have accessed classified data, the unclassified computer system
reportedly contained sensitive information such as schedules, policy
discussions and emails, including exchanges with diplomats.
[to top of second column] |
"This unclassified computer system likely also contains the
personally identifiable information of many Americans," the South
Dakota Republican wrote, noting that people must submit personal
information before being allowed to enter the White House.
(Reporting by Peter Cooney; Editing by Eric Walsh)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
