SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
1000 DEFENSE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON , DC 20301 - 1000
JANUARY 2021
CLASSIFIED: TOP SECRET - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN HACKINGS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSETS
Throughout 2020, the United States received intelligence that Russian hackers have
infiltrated secure government databases and servers, including those located in The Pentagon, the
Intelligence Community, the US Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, the Commerce
Department, and Health and Human Services. Within the servers affected, 18,000 US
organizations had malicious code in their networks; 50 of them suffered major breaches. As of
the 13th of December, when this knowledge was made known to US officials, the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has been working tirelessly to secure networks and
alleviate any vulnerabilities in the systems that were affected. Russia has denied responsibility
for such hackings.
This hacking poses a major threat to US cybersecurity, as it is one of the most significant
hackings in modern history. The Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and CISA have
urged Congress to take action against this emerging threat. In response, Congress has introduced
the following piece of legislation, named after an essential cybersecurity tool: A Bill to
C.A.P.T.C.H.A. (Create a Procedure to Combat Hacker Attacks). It is your responsibility as
Congress to come to a decision on this legislation before more damage is done.
