Hacker group releases password to alleged NSA files

The seals of the U.S. Cyber Command, the National Security Agency and the Central Security Service greet employees and visitors at the campus the three organizations share March 13, 2015, in Fort Meade, Maryland. AFP

NEW YORK, United States — A secretive group that published a trove of hacking tools allegedly used by U.S. spies has released a password that it says can unlock related files.

In a Medium post, the “Shadow Brokers” group revealed a password to files associated with the leaked toolkit, purportedly from the U.S. National Security Agency. Some security experts tweeted that the password works, but that couldn’t be independently verified.

An October leak by the group included information that experts said might identify computers used to obscure U.S. electronic eavesdropping.

The group’s post also included a discursive rant against President Donald Trump, including criticism of the recent U.S. airstrike on a Syrian air base, Trump’s attacks on some congressional Republicans and his decision to remove adviser Stephen Bannon from the National Security Council. CBB