State Dept. computers hacked; email is shut down

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The State Department has taken the unprecedented step of shutting down its entire unclassified email system as technicians repair possible damage from a suspected hacker attack.

A senior department official said Sunday that “activity of concern” was detected in the system around the same time as a previously reported incident that targeted the White House computer network. That incident was made public in late October, but there was no indication then that the State Department had been affected. Since then, a number of agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service and the National Weather Service, have reported attacks.

The official would not discuss who might be responsible. Earlier attacks have been blamed on Russian or Chinese attackers, although their origin has never been publicly confirmed. The State Department is expected to address the shutdown once the security improvements are been completed today or Tuesday.