Iran-linked hackers have claimed responsibility for breaching the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel, according to a report by Reuters.
The hacker group, identified as the Handala Hack Team, said on its website that Patel had joined a list of individuals it had successfully targeted. The group published photographs of Patel and what it described as his resume, along with a sample of emails.
Reuters reported that it was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the emails released by the hackers. However, material reviewed by the news agency appeared to include a mix of personal and work-related correspondence dating between 2010 and 2019.
A U.S. Justice Department official confirmed to Reuters that Patel’s emails had been compromised but did not provide further details. The FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the hacker group also did not respond to messages seeking clarification. (Newswire)