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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Hackers Acquired and Sold Data of US House Members

Hackers Acquired and Sold Data of US House Members
Husain Parvez Published on 10th March 2023 Cybersecurity Researcher

Hackers have acquired the sensitive personal information of a number of Members of the US House, along with their employees and family members. The stolen data appears to already have been sold on the dark web, as reported by CBS News.

The data was obtained via a significant data breach at health insurance provider DC Health Link. This is the insurance provider offered to eligible Members and staffers of the House and Senate, raising concerns that lawmakers and their families could be among those affected.

The news first broke on Twitter by a reporter for the Daily Caller, who shared the official email sent to potentially affected Members and staff by the House's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Catherine Szpindor.

Within the email, Szpindor stated that the FBI told her that the data of hundreds of Members and House staff had been compromised. However, she went on to say that “it does not appear that Members of the House of Representatives were the specific targets of the attack.”

DC Health Link has confirmed that data on an unspecified number of customers were affected and said it was working to notify the affected customers and law enforcement. A hacker on an online crime forum claimed possession of the data of 170,000 DC Health Link customer data and as of Tuesday, has allegedly sold the information to an unknown buyer.

According to the broker selling the data, DC Health Link was breached on Monday. The broker account, named "thekilob", said they were acting on the seller's behalf and declined to provide evidence to back the hacker’s claims when contacted by the Associated Press. The dark web forum post included a screenshot of sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, employer names, and email addresses.

The hack follows several recent breaches affecting US healthcare companies in the past year, including the Heritage Provider Network in California, which exposed the personal data of more than 3 million patients.

About the Author

Husain Parvez is a Cybersecurity Researcher and News Writer at vpnMentor, focusing on VPN reviews, detailed how-to guides, and hands-on tutorials. Husain is also a part of the vpnMentor Cybersecurity News bulletin and loves covering the latest events in cyberspace and data privacy.