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An FBI spokesperson told Fox News the agency is aware of “malicious actors” targeting FBI Director Patel’s personal email information and has taken “all necessary steps to mitigate potential risks.”
The FBI noted the information in question is “historical in nature” and does not involve government information.
The Handala Hack Team, an Iran-linked hacking group, has claimed responsibility.
The State Department’s “Rewards for Justice” program is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification of the Handala Hack Team — a group that has frequently targeted U.S. government officials.
“Consistent with President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America, the FBI will continue to pursue the actors responsible, support victims, and share actionable intelligence in defense of networks,” the FBI spokesperson said. “We encourage anyone who experiences a cyber breach, or has information related to malicious cyber activity, to contact their local FBI field office.”
The targeting of Patel’s information comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) on March 19 announced a massive crackdown on the hacking group.
Weeks ago, the DOJ announced the seizure of four domains as part of an ongoing effort to disrupt hacking and transnational repression schemes conducted by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), which allegedly ramped up after the U.S.-Iran war began on Feb. 28.
The seized handala-hack[.]to domain was used to claim responsibility for a destructive March 11 malware attack on a U.S.-based multinational medical technologies firm, according to the FBI.
Handala Hack claimed the attack was retaliation for ongoing cyber assaults against the infrastructure of the “Axis of Resistance.”
Investigators also discovered the alleged cyber-terrorists used an Outlook email account to send death threats to Iranian dissidents and journalists living in the U.S. and abroad, openly offering bounties to Mexican cartel “partners” to commit acts of violence.
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