A massive leak of Department of Homeland Security records has exposed the personal details of over 41,000 employees and contractors working for the agency and its constituent bodies. The exposed files contain email addresses, phone numbers, office addresses, and references to internal systems, alongside sensitive data regarding undercover and surveillance operations.
Details of the Leaked Records
The compromised records cover the Department of Homeland Security along with seven component agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Customs and Border Protection. The data was most recently updated on August 19, 2026. Transparency nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets and cybersecurity researcher and journalist maia arson crimew reviewed the data ahead of publication after receiving it from a collective known as the Department of Peace, as reported by Ars Technica based on WIRED reporting.
Distributed Denial of Secrets released the dataset, named “Icepick,” on Wednesday. The hackers stated in an accompanying file that they leaked the information because the government holds theirs. According to the organization’s press release, the records originated from the login system managed by Okta.
An Okta spokesperson stated that the company is investigating the report but emphasized that its infrastructure remains secure. The spokesperson noted that there is no indication of any compromise to Okta data or systems.
Context and Previous Breaches
The incident arrives at a time when the Department of Homeland Security has actively targeted critics by attempting to reveal anonymous social media users, acquiring customer records related to protesters, and seeking warrants for surveillance tools targeting journalists. Following the inauguration of the second Trump administration, federal authorities have taken steps to conceal the names and faces of department personnel. Furthermore, the agency has broadened its interpretation of doxing beyond the malicious sharing of home addresses to include the distribution of basic employment details such as names and official titles.
This event follows a prior data breach in which the hacking collective ShinyHunters asserted they stole personal data belonging to nearly all FBI personnel and their families. Law enforcement authorities have subsequently arrested multiple suspects and detained an individual suspected of involvement with that group.
