FBI Directors Emails and Photos Hacked by Iranian-Linked Cyber Group

FBI Director Kash Patel’s Personal Emails Hacked by Iranian-Linked Group

A group of hackers claiming to be pro-Palestinian, known as the Handala Hack Team, has announced that they have gained unauthorized access to the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel. According to the group, Patel’s name is now listed among those who have been successfully hacked.

The breach was confirmed by news outlets Reuters and CNN, citing unnamed security officials and individuals familiar with the matter. The FBI and Department of Justice have yet to comment on the incident.

The hacking appears to have released documents from over a decade ago, including emails related to Patel’s travel and business correspondence. Some of the leaked emails also include photographs of Patel posing in various settings, such as an antique sports convertible and in front of a mirror with a bottle of rum.

Patel is the ninth director of the FBI, having taken office in 2025. His leadership has been marked by controversy, with some critics accusing him of using federal resources for personal travel and to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The Handala Hack Team also claimed credit for a recent cyberattack on medical device company Stryker, stating that it was in retaliation for the US-Israeli strike on a children’s school in Minab, Iran. The group is believed by Western researchers to be linked to Iranian cyberintelligence.

In response to the US-Israel war against Iran, the country has threatened to increase attacks on Western economic interests as a form of pressure.

Source: Al Jazeera