A pro-Iranian hacking group called Handala claimed on Friday that it had hacked an account belonging to FBI Director Kash Patel, and it posted more than a half dozen photos of him along with a resume and other personal documents, many of which appear to be more than a decade old, according to Associated Press. The group said it was making available for download emails and other documents from Patel’s account, with records reportedly relating to his personal travels and business from more than 10 years ago.
The FBI declined immediate comment, while a person familiar with the matter said a personal email account of Patel’s had been breached; it was unclear when the claimed hack occurred, though news reports from December 2024 said Patel had been informed by FBI that he had been targeted as part of an Iranian hack.
Handala, described as pro-Iranian and pro-Palestinian, had earlier this month claimed credit for disrupting systems at Stryker, a Michigan-based medical technology company, in what it said was retaliation for suspected U.S. strikes. The Justice Department had previously singled out Handala in an announcement linked to Iranian hacking activity and takedown actions against associated hacker sites.