Investigation Continues Into Person Who Hacked CIA Emails
WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- An urgent investigation is underway to find a hacker who broke into the personal email accounts of two of the nation's top national security officials. CBS sources confirm a breach in the accounts of CIA Director John Brennan and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
Mary Bubala has more.
The person Tweeting under the now-disabled Twitter handle "CWA" followed through on threats to release sensitive information.
"You know we don't lie, what you have all been waiting for sorry for the delay." [sic]
Along with that statement came an attachment with the names, Social Security numbers and phone numbers of about 20 people said to be affiliated with the head of the CIA.
CBS contacted some of the people whose names were on the list and there is a common thread: many worked for President Obama's transition team following the 2008 campaign.
The unidentified hacker, who claims to be a high school student, said the information came from the private AOL email account of CIA Director John Brennnan.
That same person also claimed to have hacked into the private Comcast email account of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
Ina statement, the CIA would only say that it has referred the matter to the appropriate authorities.
On Twitter, the hacker appeared to be taunting officials and others in government before the account was suspended. There were Tweets like, "Anyone know who we should target next?!?" while also expressing a political motive for his criminal act: "We are not doing this for personal satisfaction, we are doing this because innocent people in Palestine are being killed daily."
The hacker told the New York Post his next target is a major official at the Pentagon but a source at the Pentagon says there is no indication of a new attack.
