Being a prominent American law enforcement official comes with many challenges and risks, not the least of which is being the subject of cyber-attacks. When the country is embroiled in a military conflict, those risks become that much greater.
In an example of just this, according to sources of CBS News and reporting by Reuters, FBI Director Kash Patel has had his personal email compromised by hackers associated with Iran.
Cyber criminals linked to Iran have accessed FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News Friday.
The FBI said in a statement that it is "aware of malicious actors targeting" Patel's personal email information and said it has "taken all necessary steps to mitigate potential risks associated with this activity."
It also said that the information in question "is historical in nature and involves no government information."
If, as is stated, this was a personal email account, there should have been no confidential information breached, at least. The hack appears to have been carried out by a group formed specifically for the task of breaching American and Israeli officials, in response to American and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The breach was first reported by Reuters, which said the hacker group Handala HackTeam took credit for the attack and posted images online of the FBI director and his purported resume.
The breach comes not long after the Justice Department earlier this month seized four domains connected to the Handala group, as part of an ongoing effort to disrupt hacking and transnational repression schemes conducted by the Islamic Republic of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
The domain used to carry out the hack against Patel was registered the same day the Justice Department announced it had seized the four domains associated with the group, on March 19.
Are there any American counter-hackers looking for a payday? Now would seem to be the chance:
The FBI said in its statement that the State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification of the Handala Hack Team.
The Handala Group bragged about the hack.
Read More: Unseen Chinese Claws in Every Call: Massive Hacking Attack Exposed
One Step Down, More to Go: The FCC Takes a Stand Against Foreign-Made Routers
The Justice Department has reportedly been on the lookout for attempts just like this since the start of Operation Epic Fury, and there will likely be more such attempts. The Handala Group, according to the Justice Department, is also responsible for malware attacks against an American medical technology company and the release of the names of almost 200 people involved with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli government. Director Patel seems to have been a particular target:
In an online post, the Handala Group appeared to announce its successful attack against Patel's email. In the post, it referenced the seizure of its domains by the U.S. government and said, "We decided to respond to this ridiculous show in a way that will be remembered forever."
That's probably not going to work out quite like they think.
The hacked material taken from Director Patel's account reportedly included his resume and personal photographs. Again, there are no reports of any confidential information being compromised.
Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
Help us report the truth about the Trump administration’s decisive actions to keep Americans safe and bring peace to the world. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member