Threats to the United States were discussed in a recent hearing by the White House Judiciary Committee held to evaluate how the Department of Justice (DoJ) is tackling them. The House Judiciary threw light on the issue of surveillance of the American people. The three hostile foreign actors who made a cybersecurity breach in the court systems in 2020 were at the center of the hearing. Details about the case and how it impacted security were not openly discussed. However, it was assured that the National Security Division was working towards curbing such criminal instances and resolving the present issue.
The public statement released on January 26, 2021, by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler about the 2020 cybersecurity breach maintained that the attack was unrelated to the SolarWinds hack. Further investigation uncovered and brought to light the immense impact of the violation of court and the system’s failure on security. “The threat we face from cyber-enabled attacks, whether that’s to the government and public sector—including Congress—and the private sector, is one of the most significant threats we face,” said Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security. Rightly so, as it impacted the litigation on national security and intelligence matters.
Matthew Olsen from the Department of Justice reiterated how the department performs several tasks related to prosecuting terrorists and spies, safeguarding against cyber-attacks, enforcing export controls, and so on. He further stated that the National Security Division (NSD) is aware of and working towards nation-state attacks that may come from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Owing to the assault on the U.S. Capitol, the DOJ also noted that it has been making efforts to investigate and bring forth those responsible for the same. Arrests have been made, and over 860 individuals in nearly all 50 States, who took part in the Capitol assault, have been charged.
