U.S. government suffers major national security breach, the consequences of which could be devastating

Some of federal government’s potentially most sensitive national security-related files are now in the hands of an unknown entity likely to put them up for sale.

It’s being reported by Bloomberg and others today that one of the largest IT service providers to the U.S. military-industrial complex has experienced a major cybersecurity breach.

The company targeted is not a household name. But Leidos Holdings Inc. is known for its extensive work with the Pentagon, NASA, Homeland Security as well as other federal agencies and defense contractors. Leidos was the largest federal IT contractor in fiscal year 2022 with $4 billion in services under contract.

Now it has been breached.

Hackers leaked internal documents, raising concerns about the security of sensitive government data managed by not only Leidos but other third-party contractors as well.

According to Cyber Security News, clients served by Leidos include the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security, NASA, other U.S. and foreign agencies, and private corporations. Contracts with the U.S. government constitute 87% of Leidos’ revenue.

We do not know the source of the hack. But this is how World War III will be fought – simultaneously on the battlefield and in cyberspace.

Cyber Security News reports that the leaked documents are believed to have been stolen as part of two breaches of Diligent Corp. in 2022, a platform Leidos used.

“The nature and sensitivity of the stolen documents remain unclear, but the leak underscores vulnerabilities in the cybersecurity frameworks of companies handling critical government information,” the news outlets writes.

According to the Cyber Press team investigation report, the data consists of one gigabyte of files in the following formats: zip, msg, doc, jpg, png, xls/x, and pdf. These files are associated with Leidos technical assistance and its customers.

Bloomberg News reviewed some files but couldn’t verify their authenticity due to obscured details. The exact content and nature of these documents have not been publicly disclosed.

Below is more from Cyber Security News:

The company has not yet made a public statement regarding the specifics of the leaked documents or the steps it is taking to mitigate the impact. Leidos has declined to comment on the stolen information.

The threat actor responsible for the breach has indicated plans to sell the data in two different types, further exacerbating concerns over the potential misuse of sensitive information. This incident has prompted a broader discussion on government contractors’ security measures and protocols.

The consequences of such data breaches are far-reaching, including financial losses, reputational damage, operational disruptions, and legal complications.

Leidos was formed in 2013 and later acquired Lockheed Martin Corp.’s information technology business.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more information.