Dozens of House offices was the target of a ransomware attack
New: A tech vendor that provides constituent outreach services to dozens of House offices was the target of a ransomware attack, according to House officials, lawmakers and aides familiar with the situation.
These House offices -- nearly 60 from both parties -- have been unable to retrieve some constituent information for several weeks while the vendor, iConstituent, tries to deal with the attack. The company is working with the Chief Administrative Officer of the House, Catherine Szpindor, to resolve the situation, but there’s frustration that the matter hasn’t been cleared up yet.
It’s also a sign that cyberattacks and ransomware, which have plagued executive branch agencies and Corporate America, are a problem for Congress too.
There’s no evidence that broader House IT systems have been hacked or compromised, CAO said.
Here’s a statement from CAO on the iConstituent situation: “The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer was notified by iConstituent that their e-newsletter system was hit with a ransomware attack. iConstituent’s e-newsletter system is an external service available for House offices to purchase. At this time, the CAO is not aware of any impact to House data. The CAO is coordinating with the impacted offices supported by iConstituent and has taken measures to ensure that the attack does not affect the House network and offices’ data.”
The vendor targeted in the ransomware attack, iConstituent, offers a “Constituent Engagement Platform” used by a number of state, local and municipal governments, according to its website. The company provides a “single platform where you can easily connect with constituents, collaborate on casework, and manage all internal and external communications.” Users include the states of Georgia, Hawaii, and Nevada, as well as the cities of Los Angeles and East Palo Alto, Calif. The New York State Assembly is also listed as a client.
The most recent record of House office official payments -- covering the first quarter of 2021 -- shows more than 200 payments by congressional offices to iConstituent. The total for these payments runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Monthly “technology service contracts” range in cost from $1,200 to $1,550 for dozens of offices.
iConstituent did not respond to a request for comment.
Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois, the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, said he “understands there is some frustration at the vendor in question here.”
These House offices -- nearly 60 from both parties -- have been unable to retrieve some constituent information for several weeks while the vendor, iConstituent, tries to deal with the attack. The company is working with the Chief Administrative Officer of the House, Catherine Szpindor, to resolve the situation, but there’s frustration that the matter hasn’t been cleared up yet.
It’s also a sign that cyberattacks and ransomware, which have plagued executive branch agencies and Corporate America, are a problem for Congress too.
There’s no evidence that broader House IT systems have been hacked or compromised, CAO said.
Here’s a statement from CAO on the iConstituent situation: “The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer was notified by iConstituent that their e-newsletter system was hit with a ransomware attack. iConstituent’s e-newsletter system is an external service available for House offices to purchase. At this time, the CAO is not aware of any impact to House data. The CAO is coordinating with the impacted offices supported by iConstituent and has taken measures to ensure that the attack does not affect the House network and offices’ data.”
The vendor targeted in the ransomware attack, iConstituent, offers a “Constituent Engagement Platform” used by a number of state, local and municipal governments, according to its website. The company provides a “single platform where you can easily connect with constituents, collaborate on casework, and manage all internal and external communications.” Users include the states of Georgia, Hawaii, and Nevada, as well as the cities of Los Angeles and East Palo Alto, Calif. The New York State Assembly is also listed as a client.
The most recent record of House office official payments -- covering the first quarter of 2021 -- shows more than 200 payments by congressional offices to iConstituent. The total for these payments runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Monthly “technology service contracts” range in cost from $1,200 to $1,550 for dozens of offices.
iConstituent did not respond to a request for comment.
Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois, the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, said he “understands there is some frustration at the vendor in question here.”
