Inspector General Says DHS Staff Risked Cyberattacks With Government Smartphones

An internal audit found DHS apps with security vulnerabilities were downloaded publicly 375,000 times.

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The Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence analysis office may have exposed sensitive information to cyberattacks, according to a new report from the department’s internal watchdog. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

The Department of Homeland Security’s team charged with intelligence analysis may have exposed sensitive information to cyberattacks, according to a new report from DHS’ internal watchdog.

The Office of the Inspector General outlined the security risks it found in smartphones that intelligence staff used in 2023 and 2024, the report shows.

Apps developed by the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis, which were widely shared on public app stores with first responders and downloaded 375,000 times, had security vulnerabilities, the investigation found. The report,published Monday, was first reported by The New York Times.