Full Breakdown
Data Leak Exposes Personal Details of Over 40,000 DHS Employees
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Leak Overview
On Oct 28, the transparency nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDS) announced that it had received a trove of records covering more than 40,000 employees of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The data were said to have been obtained by an entity calling itself “Department of Peace” and passed to DDS and the journalist-hacktivist known as “maia arson crimew.” DDS released an online search tool intended to let the public browse the information.
02
Scope of Exposed Personnel Records
The leaked files contain names, phone numbers, email addresses and job titles for staff across multiple DHS components, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Reported counts include roughly 10,000 ICE personnel and more than 20,000 CBP employees, as well as additional staff from other DHS agencies. Some entries reveal internal organization charts and assignments to special operations, surveillance, computer forensics and undercover work that are not publicly listed on professional networking sites.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
![DHS said it was working to ensure its employees were properly protected and would update the public 'when more information is available' [FILE: September 19, 2025] Image: Erin Hooley/AP](https://static.dw.com/image/79587070_605.jpg)
03
Official Responses
The agency added that it will protect affected employees and will provide updates when further information becomes available. Distributed Denial of Secrets co-founder Emma Best said the search tool would “replace anonymity with accountability” and aid journalists and congressional oversight.
04
Verification and Third-Party Findings
Reuters confirmed the authenticity of portions of the data by matching personal details for six DHS employees to credit-bureau records and dark-web breach data.
05
Verbatim Quotes
- “We will update the public when more information is available.” — Distributed Denial, of Secrets