Leaked material reportedly includes old emails, photos and personal documents, while the FBI says no government information was compromised
A group linked to Iran has claimed responsibility for hacking the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel and publishing emails, photographs and other personal files online.
Multiple US media reports on Friday said the hacking group, known as Handala, posted the material on the internet and claimed Patel had been added to its list of targets. The reports said the leaked content appeared to include historical emails, personal photographs, a résumé and other documents tied to Patel’s private account.
The FBI confirmed that Patel’s personal account had been compromised, but said the exposed material was historical and did not involve government information. There was no public indication that official FBI systems had been breached.
Reports said many of the leaked emails dated from 2010 to 2019 and included a mix of personal and work-related correspondence from before Patel became FBI director. It remains unclear when the breach took place or whether the hackers retained access beyond the period reflected in the leaked files.
The incident has drawn fresh attention to the growing use of cyber operations to embarrass senior public officials and create political pressure. Security analysts have long linked Handala to Iranian cyber activity, although Tehran typically avoids direct public acknowledgment of such operations.
The breach comes amid heightened tension between Washington and Tehran, with cyberattacks increasingly forming part of the wider confrontation between both countries. The publication of a senior US official’s private material is likely to deepen concerns over the vulnerability of personal digital accounts, even where official systems remain protected.
US authorities are expected to continue investigating the source, scope and implications of the breach.
