The FBI said it is aware of “malicious actors” targeting Patel’s email but emphasised that the breach involved “historical” information with no government data.

The personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel has been hacked by a group linked to Iran, the bureau confirmed on Friday.

The FBI said it is aware of “malicious actors” targeting Patel’s email but emphasised that the breach involved “historical” information with no government data.

The Handala Hack Team claimed responsibility, publishing documents, photographs, and Patel’s résumé online, alongside a message declaring: “This is just our beginning.”

Images show Patel in various locations, including beside a vintage convertible, near a jet, in restaurants and hotels, smoking cigars, and taking selfies with a bottle of liquor.

The group claimed the hack exposed vulnerabilities in US cybersecurity, saying: “The so-called ‘impenetrable’ systems of the FBI were brought to their knees within hours by our team.”

The FBI has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of Handala members.

US authorities previously seized several domains linked to the group, accusing it of operating under Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and using its websites to spread propaganda, claim cyber attacks, and call for violence against journalists and dissidents.

Officials noted the domain used to hack Patel was registered on March 19, the same day other Handala-linked domains were seized. The group said the attack was retaliation for the seizures and the FBI’s reward offer.

Handala also claimed responsibility for a recent cyberattack on US medical technology firm Stryker, saying it erased “over 200,000 systems, servers and mobile devices” and extracted “50 terabytes of critical data.”

US intelligence officials warned that Iran-linked cyber groups could escalate attacks on Western targets amid growing geopolitical tensions. Patel, who became the FBI’s ninth director in 2025, had been targeted in a previous hacking attempt in 2024 before assuming office.

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