Russian hackers penetrated a White House computer system and were able to eyeball sensitive information — including details of President Obama’s schedule that were supposed to be secret, a new report said Tuesday.
The hackers were believed to be the same ones who cracked into computers at the State Department in recent months, CNN reported.
White House sources said the hackers had not accessed any classified information — but that other information considered “sensitive” was breached, including Obama’s schedule.
The FBI, Secret Service and US intelligence agencies are all investigating the embarrassing breakdown in cyber security, which they say was among the most sophisticated attacks ever launched against the US government, the network reported.
A top Obama aide insisted the president’s classified computer system was secure — but acknowledged weaknesses in its unclassified system.
“There’s always vulnerability,” said adviser Ben Rhodes.
But he would not confirm exactly what nonclassified data was swiped or identify the Russians as the culprits.
And a spokesman for the National Security Council downplayed the revelation.
“This report is not referring to a new incident — it is speculating on the attribution of the activity of concern on the unclassified EOP network that the White House disclosed last year,” NSC rep Mark Stroh told The Post.
“We took immediate measures to evaluate and mitigate the activity.”
The White House acknowledged in October that it detected suspicious activity on its unclassified network while assessing possible cyber threats.
The network said the hackers targeted sensitive information — such as real-time details of the president’s schedule.
Such information is not classified but is still highly sensitive and prized by foreign intelligence agencies, sources said.
To get to the White House, the hackers first broke into the State Department’s computers — and may still be able to gain access at State despite beefed-up security efforts.
Reports about the State Department and White House hacks also come as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in hot water over her use of a private e-mail server in her Westchester home to conduct official government business.
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