The Handala hackers related to Iran have breached the non-public e-mail account of FBI Director Kash Patel and revealed photographs and paperwork.
The FBI has confirmed the compromise, saying that the stolen knowledge was not current and didn’t embrace any authorities knowledge.
On Friday, the Handala risk actor introduced on one in every of their web sites that Patel has been added to the listing of their victims, alleging that they compromised “the so-called ‘impenetrable’ techniques of the FBI” in just some hours.
The hackers mentioned that their motion was in response to the FBI seizing Handala domains and the U.S. authorities providing a reward of as much as $10 million for info on the risk group’s members.
Nevertheless, the hackers had breached the FBI Director’s private Gmail inbox.
“All private and confidential info of Kash Patel, together with emails, conversations, paperwork, and even categorized information, is now accessible for public obtain,” the Handala hackers mentioned earlier than publishing proof of the breach.
supply: BleepingComputer
Shortly after the announcement, the risk actor revealed a set of watermarked private photographs and paperwork extracted from Patel’s inbox, together with e-mail correspondence from earlier than changing into FBI director.
In an announcement for BleepingComputer, the FBI mentioned that it was conscious of hackers “concentrating on Director Patel’s private e-mail info.”
The company additional notes that it has taken each crucial precaution to cut back any destructive impression that will outcome from this exercise.
“The FBI is conscious of malicious actors concentrating on Director Patel’s private e-mail info, and we’ve taken all crucial steps to mitigate potential dangers related to this exercise. The knowledge in query is historic in nature and entails no authorities info,” – the Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Handala hacktivist group has beforehand breached the Microsoft surroundings of medical know-how large Stryker and wiped practically 80,000 gadgets.
Also referred to as Handala Hack, Hatef, and Hamsa, the actor emerged in December 2023 and is a hacktivist persona finishing up cyber actions for Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Safety (MOIS).
Within the assertion on the compromise of Director Patel’s private e-mail account, the FBI reiterated the $10 million reward from the Division of State’s Rewards for Justice “for info resulting in the identification of the Handala Hack Staff out of Iran.”
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