FBI Director Kash Patel’s Email Hacked in Cyberattack Claimed by Iran-Linked Group

WASHINGTON, Mar 27: The U.S. Department of Justice has confirmed that FBI Director Kash Patel’s email account was compromised in a cyber breach, according to reports on Friday.

Officials told Reuters that Patel’s emails were hacked but did not provide further details on the scope of the intrusion. An Iran-linked group calling itself the “Handala Hack Team” has claimed responsibility for the breach, saying it accessed Patel’s personal inbox and published images online, including what it claims is his résumé.

The group also issued a statement online declaring Patel would “find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims.” Cybersecurity firm Cyble described Handala Hack Team as an emerging threat actor that surfaced in late 2023 and has since carried out disruptive cyber operations, primarily targeting Israeli-linked entities and organizations.

Authorities could not immediately authenticate the emails published by the hackers but noted that a sample of the material reviewed appears to contain a mix of personal and professional correspondence dating from 2010 to 2019.