Iran-linked hackers have breached the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel, releasing over 300 emails and personal photographs online, the hackers and the FBI confirmed on Friday. The group, known as Handala Hack Team, published images of Patel smoking cigars, riding in a vintage car, and posing with a rum bottle, alongside correspondence spanning 2010 to 2019.
The FBI acknowledged the breach, with spokesperson Ben Williamson stating that steps had been taken to mitigate risks and that the data was historical and contained no government information. Handala, considered by Western researchers to be a front for Iranian cyberintelligence units, also claimed responsibility for recent hacks on Stryker and Lockheed Martin.
The leaked emails, reportedly from a Gmail address linked to Patel in previous data breaches, have not been independently verified by Reuters. The hackers’ website was inaccessible late Friday. This incident follows a pattern of Iranian cyber operations targeting US officials, including past breaches of John Podesta and John Brennan.
Analysts view the leak as part of Iran's strategy to embarrass US officials and demonstrate vulnerability. The US intelligence community has assessed that Iran may continue low-level cyberattacks in response to geopolitical tensions.
