The U.S. Marshals Office Was Just Struck By a Breach of its Legal and Case Files

The U.S. Marshals office is a federal agency that oversees all the U.S. Marshals throughout the country. The Marshals are specialized federal agents that help with apprehending the country's most violent and dangerous criminals. The agency oversees many arrests and case information. The office recently suffered from a serious data breach that exposed it to hackers trying to obtain secure information. 

How Did the Attack Occur?

The U.S. Marshals Service was recently impacted by a data breach due to a ransomware attack by unknown individuals. These individuals broke into a separate data network, access confidential information, and attempted to extort the government office in an effort to obtain a payment to reverse the damage. The attack occurred on February 17, 2023, and the office quickly disconnected the network, making it unavailable from the internet to protect it from further exposure. It isn't clear how the attackers were able to infiltrate the data network, but once they were inside, they immediately had access to protected and private information. 

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?

This Marshal Service breach released law-enforcement-specific information that includes administrative information and identification for suspects in USMS cases. Also, returns from legal process cases were made available due to this data breach. This sensitive legal information shouldn't be made available to the public, but the attack exposes it in a harmful way. The senior official from the office wanted officials to know that the Witness Security Program was not compromised by this attack and that none of the information contained within that program was made available. 

How Did the US Marshals Service Admit to the Breach?

The U.S. Marshals office sent a brief to the senior Justice Department, letting officials know about the incident on February 22, 2023. The office didn't make an official statement to any news network yet, but it's clear steps are being taken to resolve the issue caused by the breach. The Justice Department is currently taking steps to increase security and to ensure that something similar doesn't happen again in the future.

What Will Become of the Stolen Information?

It's unclear what the attackers have planned for the government information obtained from this cyber attack. Federal agencies are being targeted with increasing regularity, and it's becoming more difficult to maintain security on the file servers with the intensity of the attacks. It's possible that the attackers will give the information away, sell it, or try and use it for fraudulent purposes. 

What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?

Any parties that suspect they've been exposed by this attack on the Marshals files should take steps to protect themselves. Begin by watching over your credit and your financial accounts. Consider putting a freeze on your credit as well for protection against fraud and to help prevent loans and credit cards from being taken out in your name. This recent attack exposed a large number of individuals, and some had an extensive set of information taken. If you receive a notice from the U.S. Marshals office about this attack, consider investing in Credit Monitoring services for increased safety.