Jun 8, 2021 - Technology
Key tech vendor for Congress latest victim of ransomware attack
- Yacob Reyes, author of Axios Tampa Bay
Photo: Liu Jie/Xinhua via Getty Images
iConstituent, a tech vendor that provides constituent outreach services to many House offices, is the latest major target of a ransomware attack, Punchbowl News reports.
Why it matters: For several weeks, nearly 60 House offices have been unable to receive constituent information as a result of the attack, according to Punchbowl.
- Currently, there is no indication that broader House IT systems have been compromised, the chief administrative officer of the House said in a statement confirming the attack.
Between the lines: iConstituent offers a "Constituent Engagement Platform," which allows users to "easily connect with constituents, collaborate on casework, and manage all internal and external communications.”
- The vendor lists the states of Georgia, Hawaii, and Nevada, among others, as clients.
- House offices have made more than 200 payments to iConstituent in the first quarter of 2021 totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Punchbowl.
Go deeper ... Senate sergeant-at-arms: Cyber attack against Congress "keeps me up at night"