White House Staffers' Internet Addresses For Rent
Residential proxy services used by White House staff have been linked to a Russian company with a history of cyberattacks, raising security concerns
Story timeline3 updates
28 residential proxy services routed traffic out of the White House network from October 5th to November 3rd.
28 different residential proxy providers routed traffic through the White House network.
Story published. Residential proxy services used by White House staff have been linked to a Russian company with a history of cyberattacks, raising security concerns
Several White House staffers are using computers or mobile devices equipped with residential proxy services, making their internet address available for others to rent. One of the proxy services is a Russian company whose founder's web hosting business was involved in cyberattacks against election systems in Arizona and Illinois in 2016.
The security firm Layer3 Intel detected multiple residential proxy nodes beaconing out from the internet address network reserved for the Executive Office of the President (AS2650). The proxy activity was relatively persistent between October 5 to November 3, with a review of the proxies available from AS2650 showing they exited from the White House network 236 times during that period.
The proxy tracking company Synthient said the activity it saw coming from AS2650 was related to multiple installations of a service called Infatica. Infatica's founder, Vladimir Fomenko, is a Russian man whose hosting firm, King Servers, was home to six of the eight internet addresses used by Russia's state security services to compromise databases for election systems in Arizona and Illinois in 2016.
## Why it matters The use of residential proxy services by White House staff raises significant security concerns, particularly given the link to a Russian company with a history of cyberattacks. This could potentially compromise the security of the White House network and put sensitive information at risk. The fact that the proxy activity was relatively persistent over a period of several weeks suggests a potential vulnerability that needs to be addressed.
The incident highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity measures, particularly in sensitive environments like the White House. It also raises questions about the vetting process for staff and the measures in place to prevent unauthorized use of residential proxy services.
## What happens next The discovery of residential proxy services being used by White House staff is likely to prompt an investigation into the matter. The White House and relevant security agencies will need to take steps to address the potential vulnerability and prevent similar incidents in the future. This may involve reviewing staff protocols, enhancing cybersecurity measures, and ensuring that all devices and software used by staff are thoroughly vetted and secure.
