Hackers Leak Data on 41,000 DHS Staff, Including ICE Agents

WHO:

CNN - The hacktivist group Department of Peace obtained the data; Distributed Denial of Secrets posted it online. Its co-founder, Emma Best, said the leak “identifies many of the architects and drivers of DHS policy and operations.”

CNN - A source familiar with the breach confirmed that some exposed personnel were undercover.

Wired - More than 41,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees and contractors were affected by the leak, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

TechCrunch - More than 40,000 Homeland Security staffers were affected.

Wired - The leaked records included members of groups tied to wiretap programs, Palantir software, and xAI’s Grok chatbot.

WHAT:

CNN - A DHS spokesperson said, “DHS is aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively,” adding that the department takes threats against its employees and officers seriously and would work to ensure they are protected.

CNN - DHS reiterated in an internal memo that it had directed employees to resources for removing personally identifiable information from the internet.

CNN - A US official described the leak as “embarrassing,” but said, “we have certainly seen worse.”

CNN - Thomas Warrick, a former DHS deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy, said the exposed information could help hackers target devices of personnel doing sensitive investigations and security work; he called for Congress to investigate how the breach occurred.

CNN - Sarah Pierce, director of social policy at Third Way and a former DHS official, said the leak put “thousands of ordinary civil servants in the crosshairs of anonymous internet trolls.” She said many had served under multiple administrations and did not design the policies involved.

CNN - A preliminary review found at least some leaked personal information attributed to DHS personnel was accurate; it included phone numbers, work supervisors, and assignments.

CNN - The leak included information belonging to at least three ICE and Border Patrol officers involved in shootings during the second Trump administration.

CNN - DHS said it was “working to understand the scope of the situation, assess potential threats, and identify appropriate resources and protective measures.”

CNN - Officials expressed concern that the data dump could lead to phishing and doxxing.

Fox News - The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the breach.

Fox News - The breach exposed roughly 10,000 ICE agents and Customs and Border Protection personnel.

Wired - Personal data on more than 41,000 DHS employees and contractors was leaked online.

TechCrunch - A hacker obtained personally identifiable information about more than 40,000 Homeland Security staffers, and the information was published online.

Wired - The leaked information included ICE and CBP facility locations and workers’ cell phone numbers.

Wired - The leak exposed records involving undercover ICE agents.

WHY:

Wired - Hackers claimed they breached DHS’ Okta login system.

HOW:

CNN - Distributed Denial of Secrets said it posted the data on Wednesday.

CNN - Distributed Denial of Secrets said the data came from an internal DHS database linked to a single sign-on service used by employees.

Wired - The hackers claimed to have accessed the data by breaching DHS’ Okta login system.

(UPDATED October 30, 2026 12:26 UTC)

Hackers exposed personal information on more than 41,000 Homeland Security employees and contractors. Some records involved undercover agents, prompting serious security concerns. DHS is investigating the breach and assessing potential threats.

(UPDATED October 29, 2026 22:01 UTC)

A leak has exposed personal information on more than 41,000 Department of Homeland Security employees and contractors, including ICE and Border Patrol personnel, with some undercover officers among those affected. Hacktivists claimed they breached DHS’s Okta login system, and Distributed Denial of Secrets posted data from an internal database that included phone numbers, work assignments and facility locations. DHS is investigating the breach and assessing threats, including the risk of phishing and doxxing, while warning employees about resources to remove personal information from the internet.

(UPDATED October 29, 2026 19:01 UTC)

More than 41,000 Department of Homeland Security employees and contractors had personal information exposed online, including undercover ICE agents and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The leaked records included phone numbers, supervisors, assignments and facility locations, and officials are concerned they could be used for phishing or doxxing. The hacktivist group Department of Peace obtained the data, which Distributed Denial of Secrets published; hackers claimed they breached DHS’s Okta login system, and the department is investigating.

(UPDATED October 29, 2026 05:58 UTC)

A data breach exposed personal information on more than 41,000 Department of Homeland Security employees and contractors, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The leaked records included undercover agents, facility locations and workers’ cell phone numbers, as well as people linked to wiretap programs and technology companies. Hackers claimed they accessed the data through DHS’s Okta login system, and the department is investigating.

(UPDATED October 29, 2026 03:00 UTC)

Personal data on more than 41,000 Department of Homeland Security employees and contractors was published online, including information about Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement staff. The exposed records included workers’ cell phone numbers, facility locations, and information involving undercover ICE agents, as well as people tied to wiretap programs and technology used by Palantir and xAI. The hackers claimed they accessed the data by breaching DHS’s Okta login system.