Lawmaker: U.S. Senate staff targeted by state-backed hackers

A U.S. lawmaker says foreign government hackers continue to target the personal accounts of U.S. senators and their aides – and that the Senate’s security office won’t help defend them.

Senator Ron Wyden says in a letter to Senate leaders that “at least one major technology company” has warned an unspecified number of senators and aides that their personal accounts were targeted by foreign government hackers.

Similar methods were employed by Russian agents to influence the 2016 elections. A spokeswoman for the Senate security office said it would have no comment.

Wyden did not specify the notifications’ timing, but a Senate staffer said they came within the last few weeks or months. That staffer spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.