When Russian hackers compromised the White House’s unclassified computer system last year they had access to some of President Obama’s email correspondence.
Although the hackers never had access to President Obama’s highly secure BlackBerry, they did “obtained access to the email archives of people inside the White House, and perhaps some outside, with whom Mr. Obama regularly communicated. From those accounts, they reached emails that the president had sent and received, according to officials briefed on the investigation.” Many high ranking officials have two computers in their offices, one operating on a highly secure classified network and another that is connected to the outside world for unclassified correspondence. Officials argue that the classified network was never penetrated. However, the unclassified network still contains what is considered highly sensitive information: “schedules, email exchanges with ambassadors and diplomats, discussions of pending personnel moves and legislation, and, inevitably, some debate about policy.”
The New York Times has more on the story.