Data leak exposes details of over 40,000 DHS employees

A data leak has exposed the personal and professional details of more than 40,000 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees and contractors. The information was published on October 28, 2026, by the nonprofit data transparency group Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets).

Details of the leak

The leaked data was reportedly provided to DDoSecrets by an entity calling itself the "Department of Peace." The information was organized into a searchable online database called "Icepick."

According to reports from various outlets, the exposed data includes:

• Names
• Job titles
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Workplace or office locations
• Job assignments

Reports indicate the data includes information on personnel involved in surveillance, intelligence, and undercover operations. While some reports suggest the data includes job assignments, no outlet has reported that passwords or Social Security numbers were included in the leak.

Affected agencies

The records involve several DHS components. While exact counts vary by source, the following agencies are identified as being included in the data:

Responses and claims

DHS issued a statement saying it was "aware of a potential breach and is actively working to address the situation swiftly and effectively." The agency stated it is taking steps to "ensure all are properly protected" and will provide updates when more information is available.

An unnamed source claimed the data was obtained by subverting the DHS single sign-on system, specifically the Okta service. However, Okta stated, "Okta is secure, and we have no evidence our data or systems were compromised."

Emma Best, a co-founder of Distributed Denial of Secrets, said the leak identifies "key personnel in DHS' ever-escalating rendition and deportation programs" and that the tool would "replace anonymity with accountability."

Why it matters

This incident is the third major U.S. government data breach in recent weeks, following a claim by the hacking group ShinyHunters regarding FBI employee data and a class-action lawsuit involving a breach at the Defense Department.

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Sources

• dw.com: US: DHS data leak exposes details of 40,000 employees
• npr.org: Hackers expose the identities of more than 40,000 DHS employees : NPR
• theguardian.com: Non-profit group leaks data of more than 40,000 homeland security workers | Trump administration | The Guardian
• wfmd.com: DHS investigates massive data breach exposing 40,000 employees, including ICE and Border Patrol agents | 930 WFMD Free Talk
• tech-insider.org: DHS Employee Data Leak: 40,000 Records Exposed 2026
• shattered.io: DHS Data Leak: 40,000+ Staff, ICE and CBP 2026

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.