State Department computer network goes dark after 'Russian' hackers infiltrate email systems

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2994386/State-Department-computer-network-goes-dark-RUSSIAN-hackers-infiltrate-email-systems.html

The U.S. State Department, already beset with allegations that it hasn't kept a tight enough leash on its officials' email accounts, shut down some of its unclassified email servers on Friday in order to clear out what sources say was a rash of malware inserted by foreign hackers.

Cybersecurity officials at State believe Russian hackers are to blame but described the breach of their networks only as 'activity of concern.'

The State Department did its best to handle the problem quietly, making no announcement during the regular daily reporters' briefing on Friday and issuing a subdued statement 21 minutes before the end of the work day.

ABC News reported that the cyber intrusion is one of the most serious in the agency's history.

But State framed it as a 'planned outage' and a routine 'upgrade' to its digital security systems, blocking its employees from sending outside emails and shuttering their Web browsers for an unspecified stretch of time that could last for days.

'As a part of the Department of State's ongoing effort to ensure the integrity of our unclassified networks against cyber attacks,' spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement, 'the Department is implementing improvements to the security of its main unclassified network during a short, planned outage of some internet-linked systems.'

'The Department continues to closely monitor and respond to activity of concern on our unclassified network. Such activity is something we take very seriously.'