Shutdown sparks 85% increase in US government cyberattacks

Cyberattacks against federal employees have nearly doubled since the US government shut down on Oct. 1.

With vital agencies on pause, employees furloughed, and threat activity only ever rising, the federal government and its personnel have possibly never been weaker than they are right now, from a cybersecurity perspective. Predictably, threat actors have noticed. The month of October has seen a surge of meaningful attacks against government workers in limbo, with potential consequences for the agencies that employ them and, by extension, the nation they oversee.

Experts emphasize, too, that the most serious cyber consequences of the shutdown won’t come in the form of immediate breaches. Threat actors targeting employees today might lie in wait until some future day. Add to that all of the recruiting challenges and eroding trust in government institutions and it’s the long-term fallout that should worry everyone most.

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