Ransomware attack on US Marshals compromises sensitive information | American News

The US Marshals Service suffered a ransomware security breach this month that compromised sensitive law enforcement information, a spokesperson said Monday.

The federal agency that is perhaps best known for its work tracking down and capturing fugitives wanted by law enforcement has notified the U.S. government of the breach, and officers have begun a forensic investigation, the head of the marshals’ public affairs office, Drew Wade, told Reuters in a statement.

“The affected system contains sensitive information for law enforcement, including returns from legal proceedings, administrative information, and personally identifiable information regarding USMS investigation subjects, third parties, and certain USMS employees. USMS,” Wade told Reuters.

The cyberattack took place on February 17, when the agency “discovered a ransomware and data exfiltration event affecting a standalone site [Marshals] system,” after which the system was disconnected from the network, Wade said.

The Marshals Service is part of the United States Department of Justice. Besides his work with fugitives, he also provides security for federal courthouses across the country, among other duties.

Reuters contributed reporting