If you can t go over the White House wall or through its front door, how about breaking into its computer networks?
That appears to be what happened in recent weeks.
Hackers believed to be working for the Russian government were behind an attack on the White House s unclassified computer network used by the president s executive staff, according to a report in The Washington Post.
An ally told U.S. authorities about the breach, which happened roughly two weeks ago, the report said.
The response to the hack resulted in temporary disruption of service. There was no damage to the system or evidence that the hackers were able to penetrate the classified network.
The investigation is being handled by the FBI, Secret Service and National Security Agency.
A 2008 hack of classified networks by what was believed to be Russian intelligence services resulted in the creation of U.S. Cyber Command. The military organization s purpose is to defend the country s computer infrastructure, including the private sector s.
The president or secretary of state could enact an offensive operations, the Post said.
The recent White House hack is an expression of geopolitical tensions said Chris Boyd, malware intelligence analyst at Malwarebytes Labs, research arm of the anti-malware company:
Government networks the world over are on the front lines of a digital conflict, so it s no surprise the White House has been targeted, as it presents a very rich target. While political tensions are often played out in public, it seems that highly specialized cyber-incursions have become a popular and lower profile offensive tactic.
Above: Photo of White House by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press
