Hackers may have gained access to U.S. nuclear security networks

Hackers may have breached high-ranking nuclear security networks as part of a major hacking incident that has affected multiple agencies of the U.S. government.

The National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Energy “have evidence that hackers accessed their networks as part of an extensive espionage operation,” Politico reported this week.

Potential hacking activity was detected in networks belonging to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the NNSA, and the Department of Energy’s office in Richland, Washington.

Officials have reportedly found “evidence of highly malicious activity” in the FERC infrastructure in particular. Several laboratory networks were also reportedly breached.

Federal officials have been scrambling this week to determine the full extent of the major hacking breach, which was reportedly carried out by Russia and accomplished in part by vulnerabilities in software developed by the company SolarWinds.