A hacking group backed by the Iranian government known as “Handala” announced on Friday that it has breached the personal email account of FBI director Kash Patel.
On its website, Handala shared several photographs of a younger Patel along with a link to files purportedly from Patel’s personal Gmail account.
TechCrunch confirmed the authenticity of some leaked emails by verifying information within the message headers, which help delivery systems authenticate emails.
Using a tool, TechCrunch verified several emails sent by Patel from his Gmail account. These emails had cryptographic signatures matching the messages, indicating they are authentic. Some emails were sent from Patel’s former Justice Department account in 2014 to his Gmail. TechCrunch found these also appeared authentic.
The leaked files date up to around 2019.
The FBI and Justice Department did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Reuters, which initially reported the leaks, said a Justice Department official confirmed the breach.
TechCrunch reached out for confirmation via Patel’s Gmail, revealed by the hackers, and a cellphone number from a resume allegedly of Patel. No immediate response was received.
Since the February U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Handala has increased its hacks, most notably claiming responsibility for a destructive attack against Stryker, wiping tens of thousands of devices. They’ve also released personal details of alleged Israeli Defense Forces personnel and local defense contractors.
After the Stryker hack, the FBI seized several Handala websites, which quickly reappeared on new domains. U.S. prosecutors have formally accused the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security of operating Handala.
The hackers did not respond to TechCrunch’s comment request sent to a chat account and email address publicized by the group.
Corrected the fourth paragraph to note that the emails were sent from Patel’s DOJ email address, not his FBI address. ZW.