HHS Cannot Find Belarus Malware in Obamacare Networks -- Contractor asserts software developed solely in U.S. -- By Bill Gertz, The Washington Free Beacon

The Department of Health and Human Services says it has been unable to locate malicious software from Belarus inside Obamacare computer networks, according to a department spokeswoman.

Joanne Peters, the spokeswoman, told the Washington Free Beacon that HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius received a letter sent last week from Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.) that urged HHS to shut down the network until the security of Americans’ private data can be assured.

According to U.S. officials, an intelligence report produced earlier this month stated that software developers linked to the Belarusian anti-U.S. government were involved in developing software for Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act.

U.S. security officials warned that the involvement of Belarusian software has made data submitted by Americans who signed up for health care through the website vulnerable to cyber attacks, specifically the loss of privacy data or identity theft.

The officials said they also urged HHS to conduct a search for malicious software in the system that links an estimated 3 million Americans to the federal government and some 300 health care providers and insurance companies.

After the Free Beacon reported on the Obamacare website vulnerability, the U.S. intelligence community withdrew an intelligence report that warned of the problem from circulation, the White House and a spokesman for the director of national intelligence (DNI) said. A DNI spokesman asserted that the report was not properly vetted before publication and circulation.

 (Click link below to read more)
READ MORE Sphere: Related Content