Russian hack of President Obama's emails worse than previously admitted

No classified networks are currently believed to have been compromised in an attack that took place March 2014.

A Russian cyberattack of the White House’s computer systems last year was far more intrusive than has been previously admitted by senior staff.

The hackers are presumed to be linked to the Russian government and it is reported that United States officials met on a nearly daily basis for several weeks after the discovery of the intrusion, which took place during the annexation of Crimea.

A senior official, told the New York Times: “It’s the Russian angle to this that’s particularly worrisome.”

While no classified networks are currently believed to have been compromised, the hackers gained access to the email archives of people inside the White House with whom President Obama regularly communicated.

No classified information seems to have been collected by the hackers, however, emails sent and received by the President were seen.

White House staff did not disclose the number of emails harvested, nor the content. The President’s email is also believed to have not been hacked.

Many senior officials work on two computers, one operating on a highly secure classified network, and another for outside, unclassified communications.

The cyberattack is not the first that President Obama has faced, in 2008 Chinese hackers stole a large amount of files from his and John McCain’s presidential campaigns.