FEMA suffered a cyberattack in **June 2024** where threat actors exploited **CitrixBleed 2 (CVSS 9.3)** via stolen credentials to breach its **Citrix Netscaler ADC/Gateway**, bypassing MFA. Attackers exfiltrated data from **Region 6 servers** (covering Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas), including sensitive government and citizen information. The breach remained undetected until **July**, despite prior CISA warnings about active exploitation. FEMA initially denied data loss but later evidence confirmed unauthorized uploads. The incident led to the **termination of the CISO, CIO, and 22 staff** for negligence, including falsified security audits. Remediation included forced password resets, MFA enforcement, and a complete IT overhaul. The attack exposed systemic failures in patch management and incident response, risking **national security data, emergency response capabilities, and public trust** in a critical federal agency.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/06/infosec_in_brief/
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/fema
"id": "fem1533215100625",
"linkid": "fema",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "6/2024",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Emergency Management',
'location': 'United States (Region 6: Arkansas, '
'Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)',
'name': 'Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)',
'type': 'Government Agency'}],
'attack_vector': ['Stolen Credentials',
'Exploitation of CitrixBleed Vulnerability (CVE-2023-4966)'],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (from FEMA Region 6 servers)',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'Potential '
'(unconfirmed)'},
'date_detected': '2024-07',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-08-29',
'description': 'The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) terminated '
'its CISO, CIO, and 22 other staff after an audit revealed '
'serious security failures, including a breach in June 2024 '
'where attackers exploited the CitrixBleed vulnerability '
"(CVE-2023-4966) to access FEMA's Region 6 servers (covering "
'Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The '
'breach was discovered in July 2024, despite warnings about '
'the vulnerability being issued as early as June. FEMA '
'initially denied data loss, but evidence suggests otherwise. '
"The incident led to a complete overhaul of FEMA's IT "
'department, with new staff hired to address lax security '
'practices. The attack involved stolen credentials to access a '
'Citrix system, followed by data exfiltration from regional '
'servers.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'High (public disclosure of security '
'failures, terminations, and misleading '
'claims)',
'data_compromised': 'Unknown (FEMA initially denied data loss, but '
'documents suggest exfiltration occurred)',
'identity_theft_risk': 'Potential (if PII was exfiltrated)',
'operational_impact': 'Major IT staff overhaul, including '
'termination of CISO, CIO, and 22 others; '
'new security measures implemented (password '
'resets, MFA enforcement)',
'systems_affected': ['Citrix System',
'FEMA Region 6 Servers (Arkansas, Louisiana, '
'New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)']},
'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Citrix System (via stolen '
'credentials)',
'high_value_targets': 'FEMA Region 6 servers'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (audit findings released, but full scope of '
'breach unclear)',
'lessons_learned': 'Critical vulnerabilities (e.g., CitrixBleed) must be '
'patched promptly. Transparency in incident reporting is '
'essential to maintain trust. Security preparedness claims '
'must be audited rigorously to prevent misrepresentation.',
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Termination of incompetent '
'staff (CISO, CIO, and 22 '
'others).',
'Hiring of new IT security '
'personnel.',
'Enforcement of MFA and '
'password resets.',
'Potential restructuring of '
"FEMA's cybersecurity "
'governance.'],
'root_causes': ['Failure to patch CitrixBleed '
'vulnerability despite prior '
'warnings.',
'Misrepresentation of security '
'preparedness by FEMA staff.',
'Lack of centralized IT monitoring '
'to detect the breach earlier.']},
'recommendations': ['Immediate patching of known critical vulnerabilities '
'(e.g., CitrixBleed, PAN-OS).',
'Regular security audits to validate compliance and '
'preparedness.',
'Enforce MFA and password policies across all systems.',
'Implement centralized IT monitoring to detect anomalies.',
'Foster a culture of accountability and transparency in '
'cybersecurity practices.'],
'references': [{'source': 'Nextgov'},
{'source': 'US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Statement '
'by Secretary Kristi Noem'},
{'source': 'Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency '
'(CISA) Advisory on CitrixBleed'}],
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public disclosure of terminations '
'(but initially denied data loss)',
'containment_measures': ['Password resets',
'Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) '
'enforcement'],
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Yes (post-discovery)',
'remediation_measures': ['IT staff overhaul',
'New security personnel hired']},
'title': 'FEMA Cybersecurity Breach and Staff Terminations Due to CitrixBleed '
'Exploitation',
'type': ['Data Breach',
'Unauthorized Access',
'Exploitation of Vulnerability'],
'vulnerability_exploited': 'CitrixBleed (CVE-2023-4966) - CVSS 9.3 in '
'Netscaler ADC and Gateway (Session Token Theft, '
'MFA Bypass)'}