More than 300 emails and images related to Kash Patel, the FBI Director, were leaked by a hacking group named Handala on March 27, 2026. The group claimed this action was in retaliation for the FBI's recent seizure of its websites, which were accused of being associated with Iranian intelligence operations. The leaked material includes photos of Patel, some of which had not been publicly available prior to this incident.
An FBI spokesperson confirmed awareness of the breach, stating that the compromised information is historical and does not involve current government operations. The agency is implementing measures to address potential risks stemming from this leak. The emails primarily date from 2010 to 2012, with the latest being a plane ticket receipt from 2022, and they appear to have been hacked before the ongoing conflict escalated.
Handala had previously claimed responsibility for a notable cyberattack against medical technology supplier Stryker earlier in March. Following the email leak, the group threatened to reveal details of a significant security breach, although its Telegram channel has since been removed. The State Department recently announced a reward of up to $10 million for information related to Iranian hackers targeting U.S. critical infrastructure.