Iranian hackers claim to have accessed the personal account of FBI Director Kash Patel – National
A pro-Iranian hacking group said on Friday it hacked FBI Director Kash Patel’s account and posted online what appear to be photos of him over the years, as well as his resume and other personal documents. Many of those records appear to be more than ten years old.
“Kash Patel, the current head of the FBI, who once saw his name proudly displayed at the agency’s headquarters, is about to get his name on the hit list,” said a message sent on Friday to the Handala group.
The message was accompanied by more than a dozen photos of Patel, including him standing next to a vintage sports car and another with a cigar in his mouth. The group also said it made available emails and other documents from Patel’s account. Most of the records seem to be related to his personal and business travels from more than 10 years ago
“The FBI is aware of the malicious actors who targeted Director Patel’s personal email information, and we have taken all necessary steps to mitigate the potential risks associated with this activity,” the FBI said in a statement. “The information in question is historical and does not include government information.”
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It was not yet clear when the robbery claimed by Handala might have taken place. News reports from December 2024, before Patel was confirmed as director, stated that Patel was notified by the FBI that he was being targeted as part of an Iranian hack.
Handala is a pro-Iranian, pro-Palestinian group that earlier this month claimed credit for disrupting plans at Stryker, a Michigan-based medical technology company. Handala said the attack was in retaliation for the American strikes that allegedly killed Iranian school children. They are a prime example of terrorist groups attacking the Internet on behalf of Iran.
The Justice Department identified Handala in an announcement last week in which it said it seized four websites tied to Iranian hacking programs and intimidation of the opposition.
The Trump administration is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of members of the Handala hacking group.
Associated Press writer David Klepper in Washington contributed to this report.
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