Numerous Federal government websites have been rendered insecure or inaccessible due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, according to a report from Netcraft, a United Kingdom-based internet services company, on Thursday. The crux of the issue is furloughed employees. With 400,000 Federal employees furloughed, more than 80 Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates used by .gov websites have expired and are not being renewed. Netcraft also noted that due to strict security measures implemented before the shutdown, many of the websites can no longer be accessed. Sites impacted by the shutdown include government payment portals and remote access services. A wide range of agencies including NASA, the Justice Department, and the U.S. Court of Appeals have seen their websites go offline. Websites will likely not be restored until the government reopens, Netcraft said.
