From BBC News · · 2m
FBI agents fear for safety after massive data breach
Hackers claim to have stolen personal information on the entire FBI workforce, exposing home addresses, medical records and family details.
In brief
Hackers claim to have stolen personal information on the entire FBI workforce, exposing home addresses, medical records and family details. The hacking group ShinyHunters claims to have breached FBI systems and stolen data on thousands of agents, threatening to publish it unless the agency retracts a May advisory…
Hackers claim FBI workforce breach
The hacking group ShinyHunters says it breached FBI systems on Monday and stole data on the agency's entire workforce, threatening to publish it within four days.
Agents fear for their safety
Current and former FBI agents told BBC News they are shocked and angry. One former agent says undercover operatives fear their personal information could be used by criminals and hostile nations.
“This is really bad for our undercover agents.”
Risks of phishing and physical attacks
Staff worry criminals could use the data for phishing scams, bribes and harassment. Agents also fear violence-as-a-service attacks from young online gangs they have investigated.
Families at risk from exposure
The stolen data reportedly includes home addresses and contact information. Michael McPherson, former FBI agent now at ReliaQuest, says this exposes family members normally insulated from threats.
“a security threat which cuts to the core of agent safety, particularly their families”
Sensitive medical records exposed
ShinyHunters shared samples showing names, addresses, badge numbers and job titles. The data also includes fitness-for-work medical examinations with blood and urine test results and doctors' notes.
Data already circulating online
Cynthia Kaiser, former FBI Deputy Director of Cyber now at Halcyon, says ShinyHunters has lost control of some data circulating in online groups. Past FBI breaches show information continues circulating the dark web years later.
“A lot of the damage may already be done, and as we have seen in past FBI data breaches, that information continues to circulate the dark web years later.”
Anger at sloppy security failures
Agents expressed fury at the FBI for allowing the breach. One former cyber agent called it sloppy and lazy security failures, particularly embarrassing because ShinyHunters is not a highly sophisticated group.
Unusual extortion demand
ShinyHunters is not demanding money. Instead it wants the FBI to retract an advisory published in May, which it claims offended them. The group has indicated it intends to post the information on its darknet site.
FBI expected to pursue justice
McPherson says the FBI is taking the incident extremely seriously and will draw on its network of partners to make the group suffer consequences. Kaiser warned the hackers to expect a significant effort to bring them to justice.
What matters most
The hacking group ShinyHunters claims to have breached FBI systems and stolen data on thousands of agents, threatening to publish it unless the agency retracts a May advisory.
