Hackers expose the identities of more than 40000 DHS employees

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Hackers have exposed the identities of tens of thousands of Department of Homeland Security employees. That includes their names, email addresses and phone numbers. NPR immigration correspondent Vanessa Romo is covering this and joins me now. Good morning, Vanessa.

VANESSA ROMO, BYLINE: Good morning, Leila.

FADEL: So tell us the scope of this breach.

ROMO: Well, this is a massive breach of intelligence for the government. So there is a lot of information out there. The stolen data set includes information for more than 41,000 DHS agents, operatives and associates, including those involved in undercover operations. And of those, more than 21,000 records identify employees with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Another 10,000 unmask the identities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and people in Homeland Security Investigations units. And 1,000 show people who work for the cybersecurity defense agency. That and all - a ton more are available in a searchable database. But the really interesting thing the way the online tool works is that every personnel file includes the names of supervisors and direct reports. So you can actually follow the chain of command, which we haven't been able to see before in such an explicit way.

FADEL: A lot of information there. How did the hackers get ahold of it?

ROMO: A group of hacktivists calling themselves the Department of Peace said that they obtained the data by subverting DHS' single sign-on system. They then handed all of that raw data over to a group called Distributed Denial of Secrets - or DDoS - which partnered with a Swiss activist who goes by maia arson crimew. And that's who actually created the searchable website that's now available to the public.

FADEL: And did they say - these hackers say why they did this?

ROMO: In a note that was attached to the data, the Department of Peace basically said that it was to level the playing field. They said, quote, "they have our information, so it's only fair that we have theirs." Meanwhile, DDoS and other activists involved said that they did it as a public service so that anyone who was investigating the department can file more complete freedom of information requests.

FADEL: What the argument that this can put ICE officers and others in danger?

ROMO: I spoke to Ryan Ottignon, a journalist who worked with the Swiss activist, crimew, to build that searchable database. And he pushed back on that idea that this was doxing.

RYAN OTTIGNON: We are in a situation in which a group of public officials go around the country, and they seek to hide who they are, very frequently using masks, and they do universally unspeakable things to these communities.

ROMO: He's referring to ICE shooting and killing Americans and noncitizens.

FADEL: Now, DHS has been aggressive protecting ICE agents' identities. What has it said the hack?

ROMO: So in a statement, DHS officials said the department was, quote, "aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively." They also said that they're taking necessary steps to ensure that everyone is properly protected. And as you mentioned, the Trump administration has pushed back against people publicly naming ICE agents and has regularly said that those who dox ICE officers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

FADEL: That's NPR's Vanessa Romo. Thank you, Vanessa.

ROMO: Thank you, Leila.

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