Hackers linked to the Iranian government have managed to access the personal email of FBI Director Kash Patel and published materials - including photos and documents - taken from his account, according to a source familiar with the incident who confirmed the news to CNN.
Hackers have released a series of photos of Patel from before he became FBI director, claiming they were taken from his personal email. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the authenticity of the images.
The stolen emails appear to date from 2011–2022 and include personal, business and travel communications that Patel had with various contacts, according to a preliminary review of the documents by CNN with the help of an independent cybersecurity researcher.
Researcher Ron Fabela said that what the hacking group presents as a breach of the FBI's "unbreakable" systems is actually something much more mundane: a breach of Patel's personal email.
“This is not a compromise of the FBI – it’s just like opening someone’s personal drawer,” he said.
The news of Patel's email breach was first reported by Reuters.
US intelligence officials have long warned of the possibility of hackers linked to Tehran launching retaliatory attacks after US and Israeli bombings of Iran began last month. This is not the first time that Iranian-backed hackers have accessed Patel's private information.
In late 2024, just weeks before he was appointed head of the FBI, Patel was informed by American officials that he had been the target of an Iranian cyberattack and that some of his personal communications had been accessed.
The 2024 attack was part of a broader effort by foreign hackers – from China and Iran – to access the accounts of officials who would work in Donald Trump's administration, including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, former acting Attorney General Lindsey Halligan and Donald Trump Jr.
The Iran-linked hacker group that claimed responsibility for this attack was also behind a cyberattack earlier this month that disrupted the operations of a major American medical device manufacturer.
The hackers said the attack was in retaliation for a missile strike on an elementary school in Iran, which Iranian state media claims killed at least 168 children. The Pentagon has said it is investigating that incident.
The US Department of Justice has accused the hacking group of working for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security. After the attack on the medical device company, US authorities seized several websites used by the group to disrupt their activities, but cyber operatives linked to Iran have continued to claim responsibility for attacks and spread propaganda online.
