**Congressional Budget Office Confirms Data Breach, Launches Investigation**
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced Thursday that it had been hacked, potentially exposing sensitive government data to malicious actors. The breach raises concerns about the security of an agency that plays a vital role in providing objective, impartial analysis for lawmakers during the budget process.
With a staff of approximately 275 employees, the CBO is responsible for producing cost estimates for nearly every bill approved by a House or Senate committee and often offers analysis earlier at lawmakers’ request.
Caitlin Emma, a CBO spokeswoman, stated in writing that the agency “has identified the security incident, has taken immediate action to contain it, and has implemented additional monitoring and new security controls to further protect the agency’s systems going forward.”
The incident was first reported by The Washington Post, which cited four anonymous sources familiar with the situation. According to the Post, the breach was believed to be the work of a suspected foreign actor. However, the CBO did not officially confirm the origin of the attack.
“The incident is being investigated and work for the Congress continues,” said Emma. “Like other government agencies and private sector entities, CBO occasionally faces threats to its network and continually monitors to address those threats.”
The CBO manages extensive data sources covering a wide range of policy issues, including mass deportation plans from the Trump administration, the implementation of sweeping tariffs on countries around the world, and the massive tax and spending cuts enacted into law this summer.
Further details about the scope of the breach and the potential impact on government operations have not yet been released as the investigation continues.
https://wgntv.com/business/ap-business/ap-the-congressional-budget-office-was-hacked-it-says-it-has-implemented-new-security-measures/