ShinyHunters hackers say they breached FBI, stole data on bureau employees

ShinyHunters, a notorious cybercriminal organization famous for massive data breaches and ransom demands, alleges it has infiltrated the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and exfiltrated sensitive records belonging to numerous agents and applicants. The group disclosed their claim on a dark web leak page, which was analyzed by TechCrunch, stating they had acquired "vital data on virtually all FBI personnel and individuals who had applied for employment with the bureau."

404 Media reported on the breach following the receipt of a sample of the stolen personal details, including names, addresses, and phone numbers of FBI agents and their spouses, and cross-referencing a portion of the stolen data with public records. The hackers claim their intrusion is not financially driven and are threatening to reveal the FBI's actions if it fails to remove a report alleging false accusations against them.

The publication disclosed that the hackers infiltrated an Oracle PeopleSoft server, commonly utilized by HR and recruiters to store applicant data, and subsequently penetrated an Amazon-hosted government cloud hosting the agents' and applicants' data. ShinyHunters informed the publication that they acquired terabytes of data, but did not specify how they would utilize the information if the FBI does not retract its published report.

The stolen information poses a significant counterintelligence risk, as hackers and foreign spies could exploit the data to coerce or extort FBI agents and their families into collaborating with a foreign nation. The hackers reportedly defaced the FBI's job portal, which indicated at the time of publication that the service was "temporarily unavailable for maintenance."

The FBI's special agent applicant portal was also offline. The FBI declined to comment on the incident on Tuesday, and so did the ShinyHunters hackers. This is the second known intrusion into an FBI system this year, following a breach of the agency's system managing real-time wiretaps and foreign intelligence warrants, which could have identified surveillance targets.

Additionally, FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account was hacked and exposed by an Iran-backed hacking collective called Handala as retribution for U.S.-led strikes against Iran.