CPO Magazine: Pro-Trump Capitol Riot Posed Potentially Serious Cybersecurity Risks Including Spying and Malware Installation
January 13, 2021
O’Melveny counsel John Dermody discussed the cybersecurity threats posed by the pro-Trump mob that breached the physical security of the Senate floor in the US Capital. Any computers, documents, mail, or personal schedules left unsecured in the congressional offices could have been accessed while congressional staffers and legislators were relocated to safe locations, this article reported.
“Legislators and their staffers are often working with sensitive information. Even one missing laptop is a big deal,” Dermody said. He also told the publication he hoped it could be possible to remotely wipe the stolen devices to prevent any sensitive information leakages.
In addition, Dermody, who previously served as a Deputy Legal Advisor at the National Security Council and the General Counsel’s offices of the Department of Homeland Security, recommended that Capitol Hill employees reset their passwords to avoid the misuse of any stolen credentials. Capitol IT security staff should also “scrub the entire network to make sure nothing illicit was placed on the system, such as by a thumb drive.”
CPO Magazine subscribers can read the full article here.