Hacked FBI records reveal sensitive details about employees’ intelligence duties

Data allegedly stolen from the FBI by the hacking group ShinyHunters contains detailed information about the job assignments of dozens of bureau officials, including personnel involved in sensitive operations targeting Chinese espionage, Russian intelligence, drug cartels and other threats, according to Reuters.

The 5,000-line spreadsheet, which the hackers claim is only a small portion of the two- to three-terabyte data haul they say they obtained, reportedly contains names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and emergency contact information belonging to thousands of current and former FBI employees.

The records also identify specific field-office assignments and, in some cases, personnel linked to sensitive intelligence, security and counterespionage units.

The FBI said it was aware of claims by a cybercrime group that the FBIJobs.gov website had been compromised, potentially exposing personally identifiable information belonging to bureau employees.

The agency said it had not yet determined how the alleged breach occurred and confirmed that an investigation was underway.

ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for breaching the FBI and obtaining information on a large number of current and former employees. The group said it was demanding that the bureau withdraw a statement it issued about ShinyHunters in May, threatening to withhold the data until that happens.

Former FBI counterintelligence operative Eric O’Neill described the allegedly stolen information as potentially highly valuable to foreign intelligence agencies.

O’Neill said countries such as China could have a strong interest in identifying FBI personnel involved in operations against them. He added that other foreign intelligence services and extremist individuals in the United States could also seek access to the information.

O’Neill said employees whose details appear in the alleged dataset could have serious concerns about their personal security.

ShinyHunters said on Wednesday that it was attempting to prevent the employee information from being broadly distributed while it remained in the group’s possession.

The hackers also said that any wider release of the 5,000 sample records would not be their responsibility.

Reuters said it could not independently authenticate the entire spreadsheet. However, the news agency was able to verify details linked to more than 22 individuals by comparing the information with credit records and previously leaked data available through dark-web intelligence platform District 4 Labs.