Russian Hackers Behind Cyber Attack Targeting US Government Agencies - Official

An American official has revealed that Russian hackers are responsible for a recent cyber attack that targeted government agencies. The U.S. administration has been engaged in damage control efforts following the attack that has impacted organizations worldwide.

The American official, citing expert estimates, noted that hundreds of companies and organizations in the U.S., in addition to government agencies, could be affected by this cyber assault. Interestingly, the hackers have not demanded any ransom from the official agencies.

A Russian-speaking hacking group known as CLOP claimed responsibility last week for several attacks. These targeted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), British Airways, oil giant Shell, the states of Minnesota and Illinois, among others. The hacking group gave victims until Wednesday to contact them regarding ransom payments.

In the meantime, a spokesperson for the Department of Energy told CNN that his department was among the government entities hacked on Thursday. However, it remains unclear which other agencies were affected by the attack.

An official from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) declined to reveal the number or the names of the agencies affected. Eric Goldstein, executive assistant at the Cybersecurity Agency, said in a statement to CNN that the agency "is providing support to numerous agencies that have been breached."

This recent breach adds to the list of cyberattacks that began two weeks ago and targeted major universities and state authorities in the U.S. The increasing incidents of cyber piracy are putting pressure on U.S. officials, who have pledged to overcome attacks that have disrupted schools and hospitals across the country.