Report: Russian hackers target secrets taken by NSA worker

WASHINGTON – A news report says hackers allegedly working for the Kremlin stole details about how the U.S. infiltrates foreign networks and defends against cyberattacks after a National Security Agency contractor took the classified material home and put it on his personal computer.

The Wall Street Journal reported the breach of classified information in a story published Thursday. It’s the third time that a theft of sensitive information involving an NSA contractor has become publicly known.

The newspaper, citing multiple unnamed individuals with knowledge about the theft, said the hackers apparently targeted the NSA contractor after identifying the sensitive material through his use of antivirus software by Russia-based Kaspersky Lab.

The Russian company denied involvement.

The name of the contractor is not publicly known, and the NSA declined to comment.