A pro-Iranian hacktivist group, Handala Hack Team, claims to have stolen personal and confidential information from FBI Director Kash Patel, including emails and documents. The FBI confirmed it is aware of the targeting of Patel’s personal email, stating the information is historical and contains no government data. Axios reviewed the leaked material, which appears to come solely from Patel’s personal Gmail account and dates back to the early 2010s, containing travel receipts, family photos, tax discussions, and old apartment lease inquiries—no current operational details.
Handala claims the attack is retaliation for the FBI’s recent seizure of the group’s domains, following its alleged cyberattack on a medical tech company. The group referenced a $10 million FBI reward for its members in its statement. However, such groups often exaggerate their breaches. This incident occurs within the broader U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, with Iran frequently using proxy hacktivists to obscure state sponsorship. Experts warn Iran may escalate to destructive attacks on critical infrastructure and online influence campaigns aimed at creating chaos during the ongoing war. While the stolen data is personal and dated, the attack highlights the expanding cyber battleground and puts a spotlight on Patel.
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