Key points
- The FBI removed an individual contractor following the breach
- It says the contractor failed to install a security patch
- Sources told Reuters the company was Accenture
The FBI removed an Accenture (ACN) contractor on Oct. 5 following a breach that exposed sensitive personal information about thousands of bureau employees, two sources told Reuters. The bureau said a contractor had failed to install a security patch but did not publicly identify the person or company.
FBI cyber chief Brett Leatherman said the bureau's review found the breach resulted from a security failure of a platform managed by a third-party organization. "As such, the FBI has removed the contractor and taken all necessary steps to both mitigate any further risk and protect our workforce," he said in a statement.
The two sources said the platform was Oracle's (ORCL) PeopleSoft human resources software. Reuters couldn't immediately identify the individual contractor or determine their current employment status.
Accenture said it was "proud to support the mission of the FBI and will continue to do so." It didn't answer questions about the contractor or the patch. Oracle didn't immediately reply to a request for comment.
Oracle issued the patch in June
In June, Google warned of a hack-and-extort campaign linked to the hacking group ShinyHunters and aimed at organizations using PeopleSoft. Oracle issued a security alert and fixes the same day, and both companies urged PeopleSoft users to install them "without delay."
ShinyHunters said last month that it used a PeopleSoft weakness to break into FBIjobs.gov, the FBI's job site. Reuters hasn't been able to determine whether or when the people responsible for securing the site followed Oracle's recommendations.
The data included operatives' street addresses
The exposed information included detailed descriptions of named employees' counterintelligence jobs, street addresses of human intelligence operatives, and medical and psychiatric records of bureau workers, Reuters reported. Some former FBI officials have called the breach a major blow to the bureau's operational security.
Last week, a key ShinyHunters suspect was detained in Jordan, Reuters reported. Sources told Reuters the suspect was cooperating, a development Reuters said may help the bureau understand the scope of the damage.
Accenture shares closed at $195.05 on Oct. 5, before the report was published.
