According to information published on March 28 in Deutsche Welle, hackers allegedly linked to Iran attacked the personal email account of Cash Patel, the FBI director. As a result of the hack, his personal photos and correspondence were leaked online.
The Handala Hack Team claimed responsibility for the incident, stating on their website that Patel became one of the "successfully hacked victims." They also posted a number of personal photos and excerpts from his correspondence.
The FBI confirmed the fact of the cyber attack. Agency spokesperson Ben Williamson stated that measures have been taken to mitigate risks, but emphasized that the published materials are "historical" and do not contain classified information of national significance.
According to the information, fragments of over 300 emails, which are believed to have been sent between 2010 and 2019, including both personal and official messages, have been made publicly available.
DW notes that it has not yet been possible to independently verify the authenticity of the published data. However, the email address provided by the hackers matches one that had previously been mentioned in leaks reported by cybersecurity specialists.
Western experts suggest that Handala may be one of the aliases of Iranian cyber intelligence structures. This group has previously reported cyber attacks on American and international companies.
Experts emphasize that this action may be part of a strategy to pressure American officials and demonstrate the vulnerability of their personal data amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
