We begin tonight with a significant cyber attack taking place across the nation and around the world. Federal agencies, state governments and major universities had been hit with a campaign of data theft and ransomware. CBSN has confirmed that the cyber security and infrastructure security agency is providing support to agencies that had been targeted. J.H University and its health system says the data breach may have impacted in sensitive personal and financial information including contact information and health billing records. Now, there is no confirmation about what group or country is behind the intrusions. But US intelligence believes a criminal organization operating inside Russia is responsible.

A senior US government official told reporters there is no evidence to date that US military and intelligence agencies have been compromised. But a number of federal agencies have been hit. Tonight, senior government officials are racing to limit the impact of a one cyber expert is calling potentially the largest theft event in recent history. American targets include multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, plus J.H affiliated hospital in Maryland and Florida, Georgia’s statewide University System and Minnesota Department of Education. British Airways was also hit. Officials say the hackers are part of a cyber criminal gangs called Clop, believed to operate from inside Russia. The cyber criminals are exploiting a software program called MOVEit, which companies and government agencies used to transfer data including personal information. The groups steal the data in this message believed to be from the hackers warns that if ransom is not paid after seven days, all your data will start to be published, sometimes on the dark web.