FBI says it identified and addressed suspicious activity on its networks
The Facts
- The FBI confirmed it identified and addressed “suspicious activities” on FBI networks and said it leveraged its technical capabilities to respond, without providing additional details.
- The FBI said it is investigating suspicious cyber activity involving an internal system that contains sensitive information related to surveillance operations and investigations.
- A notification to members of Congress said the FBI is working to determine the scope and impact of the suspicious activity.
- The notification reviewed by reporters said the FBI began investigating on Feb. 17 after detecting abnormal log information related to a system on its network.
- The notification said the affected system is unclassified but contains law-enforcement sensitive information, including returns from legal process such as pen register and trap-and-trace returns.
- CNN, CBS, and other outlets reported that the suspicious activity targeted a digital system used to manage or facilitate surveillance processes, including wiretaps and foreign intelligence surveillance warrants, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Context
What did the FBI publicly say about the incident?
The FBI said it “identified and addressed suspicious activities on FBI networks” and “leveraged all technical capabilities to respond,” adding it had nothing further to provide. CBS News,Nextgov,CyberScoop
What system was reportedly affected?
Reporting citing sources familiar with the matter said the activity involved a digital system associated with surveillance-related functions—described as the FBI’s “digital collection system” by CBS and as a network used to manage court-ordered wiretaps and foreign intelligence surveillance warrants by CNN-related reporting. CBS News,FOX 55 Fort Wayne,Nextgov,CyberScoop
What do reports say about the sensitivity and classification of the affected system?
A congressional notification obtained by the AP said the affected system is unclassified but contains law-enforcement sensitive information tied to surveillance operations, including returns from legal process such as pen register and trap-and-trace returns. WTOP,NBC Southern Califo…,2 News Nevada
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