Iran-linked hackers breach FBI director's email, leak photos and files
What's the story
Iranian hacker group Handala has claimed to have breached the personal email account of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel. The group shared several photos of a younger Patel and a link to what appears to be a trove of files from his Gmail account on its website. The FBI confirmed that it is aware of this incident and has taken steps to mitigate any potential risks.
Email verification
FBI authenticates leaked emails
The FBI confirmed that the information in question is historical and does not contain any government data. TechCrunch verified some of the leaked emails by checking information in their headers, which are used by email delivery systems to verify authenticity. Some emails were sent from Patel's former Justice Department address in 2014 to his Gmail account, further confirming their authenticity.
Ongoing attacks
Stryker attack wiped devices
Since the US-Israeli war against Iran began in February, Handala has ramped up its hacking activities. The group recently claimed responsibility for a devastating attack on medical tech giant Stryker, which wiped out tens of thousands of employee devices. In response to these attacks, the FBI has seized several Handala websites, which have since reappeared on new domains.
Hacking claim
Gmail address matches earlier breach records
Handala, which identifies itself as a group of pro-Palestinian vigilante hackers, recently claimed responsibility for the hack of Michigan-based medical devices and services provider Stryker. The personal Gmail address that Handala claims to have breached matches the one associated with Patel in previous data breaches preserved by dark web intelligence firm District 4 Labs. A sample of the material uploaded by the hackers shows a mix of personal and work correspondence dating between 2010 and 2019.