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2w ago

FBI Probes Intrusion Into System for Wiretaps and Surveillance Warrants

Preliminary assessments point to China-linked hackers, with attribution still unannounced.

The seal of the F.B.I. hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquaters March 9, 2007 in Washington, DC. F.B.I. Director Robert Mueller was responding to a report by the Justice Department inspector general that concluded the FBI had committed 22 violations in its collection of information through the use of national security letters. The letters, which the audit numbered at 47,000 in 2005, allow the agency to collect information like telephone, banking and e-mail records without a judicially approved subpoena. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The logo of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is seen at the Los Angeles Federal Building on June 4, 2025.
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Overview

  • The FBI detected abnormal log activity on Feb. 17 in a digital collection system used for wiretaps, foreign surveillance warrants and pen registers, according to a notice to Congress.
  • Officials notified lawmakers and said the activity was identified and addressed, with remediation and forensic work continuing in coordination with the White House, NSA and CISA.
  • The affected environment is unclassified but law‑enforcement sensitive, holding returns from legal process and personally identifiable information on investigation subjects.
  • Investigators reported attempts to leverage a commercial internet service provider’s infrastructure to access FBI networks.
  • Details on scope and any data accessed remain unclear, while multiple reports say U.S. investigators suspect China‑affiliated actors without a public attribution.