July 23, 2015
Anonymous has claimed responsibility for a cyber-attack against a US government website, resulting in the leak of sensitive employee data.
Members of the online activist collective Anonymous have taken credit for an attack on the United States Census Bureau website and the publication of data that includes employee names, email addresses, phone numbers and positions within the US government. The leaked data, which has been published online, also includes password hashes – which are difficult, but not impossible, to crack.
The US Census Bureau gathers data on every US resident once every 10 years, as well as data on its economy every five years. It’s mission statement includes the line: “We honour privacy, protect confidentiality, share our expertise globally, and conduct our work openly.”