Cyber threat

Lawmakers Seek Documents Related to Cyberattacks on DOE National Labs

House lawmakers have asked the Department of Energy to provide documents related to the cyberattacks directed at three national laboratories for investigation.

The cyber incidents, which took place between August and September 2022, targeted the Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Argonne National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, all of which conduct research aimed at maintaining U.S. national security and competitiveness.

The hacking group Cold River carried out the attack using false login pages that were sent to scientists to obtain passwords, Nextgov reported. Cold River’s malicious cyber activities are believed to be for the benefit of the Russian government.

In a letter sent to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Reps. James Comer, chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and Frank Lucas, chair of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, raised concerns about the attempted intrusions and said that an investigation would help determine the impact of the cyberattacks and assess the DOE’s response to such incidents and its efforts to ensure the security of critical research and development at its national laboratories.

The lawmakers cited a White House fact sheet released in March 2022 in their letter to highlight the increased cyber threats posed by Russia in response to the sanctions the U.S. imposed following the start of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine.

Documents and information the lawmakers requested from the Energy Department include the details of communications among the laboratories, other federal agencies, and contractors and subcontractors supporting the DOE’s response to the hacks.