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US cyber agency CISA exposed reams of passwords and cloud keys to the open web

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U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA may have escaped a sizable security breach, thanks to a good-faith security researcher who identified publicly exposed credentials that allowed access to government cloud and internal agency systems.

As first reported by independent security reporter Brian Krebs, GitGuardian security researcher Guillaume Valadon found reams of exposed plaintext credentials listed in spreadsheets, which had been made publicly accessible in a GitHub repository by an employee working for a CISA contractor.

Valadon told Krebs that the exposed credentials were used for accessing systems belonging to CISA and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. Valadon said the credentials included access tokens, cloud keys, and other sensitive files. Valadon told Krebs that he tested some of the keys to verify that they were valid. 

He then reported the lapse to Krebs because the CISA contractor who maintained the GitHub environment did not respond to their alerts.

The security lapse is particularly embarrassing for CISA because the U.S. government agency is responsible for cybersecurity across the civilian federal network. The organization also advises on best cybersecurity practices, which includes storing passwords in secured password managers and not in unprotected spreadsheets.

It’s not clear if anyone found or used the credentials other than Valadon. When reached by TechCrunch, a CISA spokesperson did not immediately comment or say if the agency has any evidence of a breach stemming from this exposure. TechCrunch asked if the agency has revoked and replaced the exposed credentials following the incident.

While the incident was traced back to an employee working for a CISA contractor, CISA is ultimately responsible for the security of its own network and systems, including contractors who work for the agency.

CISA has been without a permanent director since January 20, 2025, when then-CISA director Jen Easterly stepped down ahead of the start of the incoming Trump administration. CISA has also lost about a third of its workforce following cuts, furloughs, and layoffs since Trump took office.

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NiMet ​‌⁠​‍‍⁠⁠‌‍​‍‍‍​‌​‌​forecasts three-day cloudiness, sunshine nationwide from Monday 

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy and sunny weather conditions across the country from Monday to Wednesday.

NiMet’s weather outlook released in Abuja on Sunday forecast sunny skies with patches of clouds over the northern region on Monday.

The agency predicted thunderstorms accompanied by moderate rains over parts of Taraba, Adamawa and Kaduna states during the morning hours.

It also forecast thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba states in the afternoon or evening.

For the North-Central region, NiMet predicted thunderstorms accompanied by moderate rains over parts of Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory during the morning hours.

It forecast thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa states and the FCT later in the day.

According to NiMet, moderate rains are expected over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Lagos and Bayelsa states in the morning.

It forecast moderate rains across the entire southern region later in the day.

For Tuesday, NiMet predicted thunderstorms accompanied by moderate rains over parts of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Adamawa and Taraba states in the northern region during the morning hours.

The agency forecast thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Borno, Jigawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Taraba and Adamawa states later in the day.

He stated, “For the North-Central region, thunderstorms accompanied by moderate rains are expected over parts of Niger, Kwara states and the Federal Capital Territory in the morning hours.

“Later during the afternoon or evening hours, thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated across the region.”

For the southern region, NiMet forecast light rains over parts of Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Rivers states during the morning hours.

It anticipated thunderstorms with moderate rains across the entire region later in the day.

The agency predicted partly cloudy skies over the northern region on Wednesday, with chances of thunderstorms accompanied by light rains over parts of Bauchi, Jigawa and Yobe states during the morning hours.

It forecast thunderstorms with moderate rains across the region during the afternoon and evening hours.

NiMet also predicted sunny skies with patches of clouds over the North Central region during the morning hours.

“Thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected over the entire region later in the day. For the southern region, a cloudy atmosphere is expected over the region, with prospects of light rains over parts of Edo, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states during the morning hours,” it said.

NiMet anticipated thunderstorms with moderate rains over the entire region later in the day.

The agency urged the public to take adequate precautions and fasten loose objects to prevent collisions, as strong winds might precede rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur.

It warned that continuous rains expected over coastal areas of the South could trigger flash floods.

“Drivers should avoid driving or wading through flood waters. Driving under heavy rain should be avoided.

“Disconnect electrical appliances from electrical sockets. Stay away from tall trees to avoid impact from falling branches and broken trees,” it advised.

NiMet advised airline operators to obtain airport specific weather reports from the agency for effective planning of their operations.

It also urged citizens to stay informed through its weather updates and visit its website, www.nimet.gov.ng, for more information.

(NAN)

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Tobi Amusan Wins 100m Hurdles at Grand Prix Brescia

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Nigerian sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan continued her impressive campaign with victory in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Grand Prix Brescia in Italy.

Sports247 reports that Amusan clocked 12.56 seconds to take the top spot despite competing into a stiff -1.7m/s headwind, producing a strong performance under challenging conditions.

The Nigerian was pushed by American hurdler Alaysha Johnson, who finished second in 12.62 seconds, while Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent completed the podium after crossing the line in 12.75 seconds.

Amusan’s winning performance underlines her consistency and competitive strength in an event where margins are often decided by hundredths of a second. Her 12.56s was six hundredths faster than Johnson and 19 hundredths ahead of Nugent.

The adverse wind conditions made the achievement even more notable, with the -1.7m/s headwind presenting an additional challenge for all three athletes.

For Amusan, the Brescia victory provides another valuable competitive outing as she continues to build momentum in the 100m hurdles.

The Nigerian has established herself among the world’s leading hurdlers, and performances such as this further reinforce her status as one of Africa’s premier track and field athletes.

Johnson’s 12.62s earned her a strong second-place finish, while Nugent’s 12.75s secured third as the leading trio separated themselves from the rest of the field.

With the season progressing, Amusan’s ability to produce a 12.56s winning time against a significant headwind will provide encouragement ahead of her next assignments.

The victory also adds another international success to the Nigerian star’s résumé, keeping her firmly in the spotlight as the global women’s hurdles season gathers pace.

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