Iran-linked hackers breached the personal email of FBI chief 0 12

Iran-linked hackers breached the personal mailbox of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Cash Patel and published his photos and documents online, the hackers and the agency reported on Friday, March 27, according to DW.

The Handala Hack Team announced on its website that Patel "will now find his name on the list of victims we have successfully hacked." The hackers released a series of personal photos of the director - in them, he is seen sniffing and smoking cigars, riding in a vintage convertible, and making faces while taking a selfie in the mirror with a large bottle of rum.

FBI confirmed the breach

The FBI confirmed the breach. Agency spokesperson Ben Williamson stated that "all necessary measures have been taken to mitigate potential risks," but noted that the stolen data "is historical in nature and does not contain government information." In addition to the photos, the hackers also released excerpts from more than 300 emails - apparently a mix of Patel's personal and work correspondence from 2010 to 2019.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the correspondence. However, the personal address on the Gmail server that Handala claims was hacked matches the address associated with Patel in previous data leaks recorded by District 4 Labs. Google did not respond to a request for comment.

"Make them feel vulnerable"

Western researchers believe Handala is one of the aliases used by Iranian state cyber intelligence units. Previously, the group claimed to have hacked American medical equipment manufacturer Stryker, asserting that it destroyed a vast array of the company's data. On March 26, Handala also announced the publication of personal data of dozens of employees of defense contractor Lockheed Martin working in the Middle East.

Iran-linked hackers - initially remaining in the shadows after coordinated strikes by the U.S. and Israel against the Islamic Republic last month - are increasingly demonstrating their cyber operations as the conflict transitions into a protracted phase.

Gil Messing, head of personnel at Israeli company Check Point, stated that the operation to hack and leak data against Patel is part of an Iranian strategy aimed at discrediting American officials and "making them feel vulnerable." According to him, the Iranians "are using everything they have."

Precedents of personal email hacks

Hacks of personal correspondence of high-ranking officials have occurred before, notes Reuters. In 2016, hackers breached the personal Gmail account of John Podesta - Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman - and published the data on WikiLeaks. In 2015, teenagers hacked the personal AOL account of then-CIA Director John Brennan and leaked information about American spies.

Such relatively simple hacks fit into the assessment of American intelligence from March 2, which Reuters reviewed: it stated that Iran and its allies could respond to the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with low-level attacks on American digital networks.

According to available information, Iran-linked hackers may have other stolen correspondence in reserve: last year, the group Robert informed Reuters that it was considering publishing 100 gigabytes of data stolen from White House Chief of Staff Suzy Wiles and others in Trump's circle. Reuters was unable to verify this claim.

Hacking devices of Israeli officials

Israeli intelligence agencies previously stated that hundreds of attacks on high-ranking Israelis, including officials and Defense Ministry employees, have been thwarted in recent months. After the start of a 12-day war with Iran in June 2025, the number of attempts to hack personal accounts, including Google services, sharply increased.

Several months ago, Handala, in particular, claimed to have hacked the device of former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his associate Ayelet Shaked. Additionally, the group claimed to have gained access to the mobile device of Tzachi Braverman, head of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.