US intelligence agencies say Russia likely behind hacking of government agencies

The office of the US Director of National Intelligence has said Russia was “likely” behind a string of hacks identified last month that gained access to several federal agencies.

The office — along with the FBI, the National Security Agency, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency inside the Department of Homeland Security — in a joint statement said the hackers’ goal appeared to be collecting intelligence, rather than any destructive acts.

They said they had so far identified “fewer than 10” agencies that were…