A collective of hacktivists known as the “Department of Peace” has claimed responsibility for breaching the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), subsequently leaking purportedly stolen documents online.
On Sunday, the nonprofit transparency group DDoSecrets released information regarding contracts involving DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and over 6,000 firms, including defense contractors such as Anduril, L3Harris, Raytheon, the surveillance firm Palantir, along with technology giants Microsoft and Oracle.
The hacktivists stated that the information originates from the Office of Industry Partnership, a division within DHS that acquires technology from the private sector.
DHS and ICE have not yet replied to a request for comment.
The Department of Peace elaborated on their reasons in a document shared with the hack, referencing the recent deaths of two peaceful protesters, U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renée Good, earlier this year in Minneapolis at the hands of federal agents.
“Why attack the DHS? I can think of a couple of Pretti Good reasons! I’m making this public because the DHS is killing us, and people deserve to be informed about which companies are backing them and what they’re involved in,” the hackers stated.
since the outset of the Trump administration, DHS and federal immigration agents from ICE have launched a mass deportation initiative, apprehending individuals with largely clean criminal records and detaining them in overcrowded facilities where critics argue they are subjected to inhumane treatment. This mass deportation effort has been supported by various tech companies, with Palantir leading the way.
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Do you have additional information regarding ICE and the technology it employs? We would like to understand how this impacts you. From a personal device, you can securely reach out to Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or via Telegram, Keybase, and Wire @lorenzofb, or by email.
Security expert Micah Lee compiled the leaked information on a specialized website, making it user-friendly for searching.
The website displays the names of the contractors, the total sums awarded to them, and contact details including full names, email addresses, and phone numbers.
The largest contracts awarded included $70 million to Cyber Apex Solutions, a firm that asserts on its minimalist website to be “dedicated to addressing the security gaps of critical infrastructure” in the U.S.; and $59 million to Science Applications International Corporation, which offers AI solutions for government entities. Underwriters Laboratories received $29 million to deliver testing, certification, and market intelligence to clients.
Cyber Apex Solutions, SAIC, and Underwriters Laboratories have not yet provided a response to a request for comment.