Hackers breached the United Nations¡¯ computer networks earlier this year and made off with a trove of data that could be used to target agencies within the intergovernmental organization.

The hackers¡¯ method for gaining access to the U.N. network appears to be unsophisticated: They likely got in using the stolen username and password of a U.N. employee purchased off the dark web.

The credentials belonged to an account on the U.N.¡¯s proprietary project management software, called Umoja. From there, the hackers were able to gain deeper access to the U.N.¡¯s network, according to cybersecurity firm Resecurity, which discovered the breach. The earliest known date the hackers obtained access to the U.N.¡¯s systems was April 5, and they were still active on the network as of Aug. 7.