According to a spokesperson from the US Marshals Service, a computer system containing “law enforcement sensitive information,” including personal details of targets under investigation, has been affected by a ransomware attack on Monday evening, CNN reported.

“The affected system contains law enforcement sensitive information, including returns from legal process, administrative information, and personally identifiable information pertaining to subjects of USMS investigations, third parties, and certain USMS employees,” spokesperson Drew Wade said in a statement. 

On February 17, the US Marshals Service detected a ransomware attack and data theft from its network, which contains sensitive information related to law enforcement, as well as personal data of targets of investigations.

The service promptly disconnected the affected system and the Department of Justice has initiated a forensic investigation, according to a statement from a Marshals Service spokesperson.

The Marshals Service is responsible for managing federal prisoners across the US and tracking down fugitives.

According to the US Marshals Service spokesperson, the hack and theft of data from its network, which occurred on February 17, was deemed a “major incident” by the Justice Department.

Such incidents require a federal agency to notify Congress, and the Marshals Service disconnected the affected system while a forensic investigation was initiated.

NBC News first reported on the incident.

Written by staff