U.S. government contractor victim of `state-sponsored` hacking

USPA News - A company that performs background checks for the U.S. government has been the victim of a computer breach, the company confirmed on late Wednesday, saying the breach of its corporate network has "all the markings of a state-sponsored attack." US Investigations Services, LLC (USIS), which has its headquarters in Virginia and is the largest commercial provider of background investigations to the federal government, said its internal IT security team recently identified an apparent external cyberattack on its corporate network.

It did not provide specific details about the attack. "We are working closely with federal law enforcement authorities and have retained an independent computer forensics investigations firm to determine the precise nature and extent of any unlawful entry into our network," the firm said in a statement. "Experts who have reviewed the facts gathered to-date believe it has all the markings of a state-sponsored attack." USIS did not say which country it believes carried out the attack, but China, Russia, and the United States itself are believed to be responsible for most of the world`s state-sponsored hacking. "Cybercrime and attacks of this nature have become an epidemic that impacts businesses, government agencies, and financial and educational institutions alike," the firm said. "The protection and safeguarding of our networks, our data and the data of our customers is always of the utmost importance, and we have invested heavily in security measures." USIS said it was working with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and federal law enforcement authorities to redouble its security efforts. "We will support the authorities in the investigation and any prosecution of those determined to be responsible for this criminal attack," it added. DHS and OPM have suspended their use of USIS services while federal authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), continue to investigate the breach. "We are working collaboratively with OPM and DHS to resolve this matter quickly and look forward to resuming service on all our contracts with them as soon as possible," USIS added in its statement.