Hackers have breached the unclassified Acquisition Research Center (ARC) website used by the CIA and other intelligence agencies to handle sensitive contracts, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) confirmed.
“We can confirm that an incident involving our unclassified Acquisition Research Center website is currently being investigated by federal law enforcement. We do not comment on ongoing investigations,” a NRO spokesperson told The Washington Times.
The breach exposed proprietary information and personal data linked to CIA programs, including the “Digital Hammer” initiative—an effort to develop advanced surveillance, intelligence gathering, and counterintelligence tools.
L.J. Eads, a former Air Force intelligence officer, said, “Given the sensitivity and exclusivity of the Digital Hammer program, this compromise almost certainly points to a state-sponsored actor, likely China.”
The CIA redirected inquiries to the NRO, which notified affected companies. So far, no classified material appears to have been stolen, but investigations continue.
Meanwhile, Microsoft disclosed that Chinese hackers also infiltrated the National Nuclear Security Administration using a SharePoint vulnerability. The extent of that breach remains unclear.
Experts warn these cyber intrusions pose escalating threats to U.S. national security infrastructure.
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