A recent investigation by Switzerland-based internet security firm Proton, in collaboration with Constella Intelligence, uncovered over 1,800 congressional staffers’ passwords available on the dark web. The report estimates that nearly 1 in 5 staffers had personal information leaked from sources like social media, dating apps, and adult websites. In one case, a single staffer had 31 passwords exposed.
Proton highlighted a significant security lapse, noting that many leaks occurred because staffers used official email addresses on high-risk sites. The investigation revealed that 3,191 staffers were affected, with Proton warning of potential severe consequences if compromised accounts are exploited.
Eamonn Maguire, Proton’s head of account security, called for strict security measures to protect personal and national security. Proton plans to release additional findings to ensure the integrity of political systems during elections.
This breach follows another major incident in August, where a Florida data center’s breach exposed 2.9 billion Social Security records, sold on the dark web for $3.5 million.
Keywords: Congress, staffers, passwords, dark web, Proton, data breach, cybersecurity, personal information, Constella Intelligence.
