A hacker group operating under the handle Department of Peace has published a massive cache of personnel data belonging to more than 40,000 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees. The breach, which was previously undisclosed by the agency, exposes names, job titles, office locations, and work contact information, including email addresses and mobile phone numbers, for a significant portion of the department’s 220,000-strong workforce.
The Technical Reality Of The Breach
According to the hacker group, the data was extracted from an Okta single sign-on system used by the DHS to manage access for employees and contractors across its central network. This configuration allowed the attackers to pull not only contact details but also internal IT records, including the specific applications and systems each user is permitted to access. The leaked dataset includes records for roughly 21,000 Customs and Border Protection staff at ports of entry, 10,000 employees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its Homeland Security Investigations unit, and nearly 1,000 personnel from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The technical reality of this intrusion is that it exposes the digital footprint of federal staff, mapping their access to tools such as Penlink surveillance software, the Mobile Fortify face-recognition application, and ChatGPT. While the Department of Peace claims the data originated from the Okta platform, an Okta spokesperson stated the company has no evidence its own systems were compromised. As ever, the detail that matters is how the attacker bridged the gap between the login service and the underlying network, a vulnerability that remains officially under investigation.
Operational Exposure And Accountability
The leaked files, which appear to have been copied around mid-August, provide a rare look under the hood of DHS operations. Beyond routine personnel directories, the data identifies agents responsible for overseeing covert and undercover operations, as well as personnel involved in deportation and rendition programs. The leak also reveals previously unknown operation names and details regarding the specific technology used by agents, including products provided by companies such as Cellebrite and Palantir.
The stolen dataset was provided to journalist and hacker maia arson crimew, who subsequently shared a copy with DDoSecrets, a nonprofit collective that hosts leaked information. Emma Best, a co-founder of DDoSecrets, stated that the aim of the release was to replace anonymity with accountability. In a note left alongside the data, the Department of Peace wrote, “They have our information, so it’s only fair that we have theirs.” A spokesperson for the group also pointed to recent comments by Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, who stated in July that he was “turning up the heat” on enforcement efforts.
A Pattern Of Vulnerability
This incident marks the second time this year that the Department of Peace has targeted the DHS. Earlier in 2026, the same group claimed to have accessed thousands of contracts between the department and various private sector entities, including defense contractors and surveillance vendors. The current breach is part of a wider trend of government data exposure, following recent hacks that impacted the FBI and the Pentagon’s human resources unit.
The DHS has confirmed it is investigating the matter. A department spokesperson stated that the agency is aware of a potential breach and is working to address the situation swiftly and effectively. The spokesperson added that the department takes all security threats against its employees and officers seriously and will provide updates to the public as more information becomes available. For now, the department faces the task of securing its access infrastructure while the details of its internal operations circulate online.
Sources
- Hacker stole personnel data about thousands of Homeland Security employees, including CBP and ICE agents | TechCrunch
- Details of thousands of US immigration agents leaked in major hack
- DHS Data Breach Exposes 40,000 Staff Records
Photo: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (Public domain)
