US officers’ private data leaked online

When law enforcement officials get attacked, chaos is sure to ensue in the system. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a document stating the leaking of officers’ private information online.

The Associated Press got hold of the document released by DHS which explains the type of attack; its possible fallout and supposed reasons for the invasion.

This form of cyberattack is known as doxxing, and it’s a bane in the lives of officers. “Threat actors are searching for private or identifying information about cops serving in departments nationwide and publishing it online in the form of cyber-attack known as doxxing”. This act endangers the lives of officers. If personal information like home addresses of officers got into the wrong hands, opportunists could take advantage and exert domestic violence. The leak could also hinder officers from performing their functions.

There is cause for concern as top law enforcement officials serving in New York, Atlanta, Washington, and Boston had their details (phone numbers, home and email addresses) released to the public.

According to the report, “at least one of the police commissioners was targeted for his alleged support of the use of tear gas to disperse protests.”

DHS believes that the ongoing George Floyd case, which is as a result of police brutality; might be connected to the attacks perpetrated against the police officials.

Ever since the protest against George Floyd killing started, officers have had to sit on the proverbial fence. There has been a mix of “good and bad egg” with looters and violent extremists joining this peaceful protest.

During the protest, some officers employed force to disperse the crowd. This very act has gone on to mar the image of the entire American law enforcement community.

However, protesters believe that the death of Floyd is proof of racism. This reasoning might not necessarily be valid considering the numbers of people the US police shot to death between 2017 and 2020. The figures reveal that the police shot a more significant amount of white people. White victims were 1,398; black victims were 755, Hispanic victims were 542, the other numbers represent an unknown race.