Hackers linked to Iran release FBI chief's emails

The Handala Hack Team, a hacking group linked to Iran, has claimed to have breached FBI director Kash Patel’s personal email account and released photos and documents. The US Department of Justice said the account had indeed been compromised and that the material appears to be authentic.

The group listed Patel among its ‘successfully attacked victims’. The FBI did not immediately comment on the incident.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the contents of the emails, although the Gmail address used is consistent with data from previous leaks. The released material is said to include a mix of personal and professional communications from 2010 to 2019.

The hackers also published a series of personal photos showing Patel smoking cigars, driving an antique convertible and posing for mirror selfies with a large bottle of rum.

Handala has been identified as a pro-Palestinian hacking group that Western analysts link to Iranian cyber operations. The group recently claimed responsibility for an attack on medical device and services provider Stryker, which reportedly resulted in large-scale data deletion.

(reuters, max)