FBI Confirms Kash Patel Email Hack as US Offers $10M Reward for Hackers

The FBI has confirmed that threat actors gained access to an email account belonging to FBI Director Kash Patel, though it says no government information was compromised and the information stored is historical in nature. The Iran-linked hacking group Handala claimed responsibility, releasing files said to originate from Patel’s personal Gmail account, which the FBI notes is not hosted on FBI systems.

The agency indicated that the hack is not recent and that Patel’s account was personal rather than a government one. Handala has been described as possibly a persona used by Iran’s government, a claim that the group’s activities have included other disruptions, though verification remains contested.

Meanwhile, the United States has a standing offer of up to $10 million for information on foreign hackers targeting critical infrastructure, and the State Department has specifically offered rewards for information on Parsian Afzar Rayan Borna and Handala.