In February 2025, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reported a significant email system breach. Hackers accessed the email accounts of around 100 senior officials, gaining sensitive information on financial institutions under the OCC’s supervision. The compromised emails included critical details about the financial conditions of regulated institutions, which could potentially undermine public confidence. The breach was first detected on February 11, when unusual activity was noticed between system admin accounts and OCC mailboxes.
Following the discovery, the OCC engaged cybersecurity experts and reported the incident to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The affected systems were isolated by February 12, and the unauthorized access was terminated. The breach targeted a significant number of emails, with hackers accessing more than 150,000 messages dating back to May 2023. Although no direct impact on the financial sector was observed, the sensitive nature of the information has raised concerns.
The OCC’s investigation revealed that the incident met the criteria for being classified as a major breach.
The Treasury Department has since been involved in the ongoing effort to assess the full scope of the damage and to address any internal shortcomings that may have contributed to the incident. Acting Comptroller Rodney Hood emphasized that full accountability would follow, and steps to improve the OCC’s internal policies and procedures would be taken.
While the identity of the attackers remains unclear, the breach raises concerns about possible ties to a broader pattern of cyberattacks on U.S. government entities. In December 2024, the Treasury Department had already reported a breach involving Chinese hackers targeting its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The ongoing investigations into these incidents suggest that foreign adversaries may be increasingly focused on accessing sensitive government data to undermine public trust and national security.
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