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The FBI says it's investigating criminal hackers' claims to have breached the computer system for the bureau's jobs website. The apparent hack could pose a counterintelligence risk for the nation's premier law enforcement agency. NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas reports.
RYAN LUCAS, BYLINE: The cybercriminal group known as ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the hack. In a message circulated online and addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, the group says it now holds sensitive data on almost all FBI agents and people who applied for a job at the bureau. Cynthia Kaiser is a former senior FBI cyber official now with the Halcyon Ransomware Research Center.
CYNTHIA KAISER: At least some of the claims are true because the FBI jobs portal's been down - was apparently defaced. So you have to at least take some of those claims as true.
LUCAS: The FBI says in a statement on X that it is aware of the hackers' claims to have breached the system and taken FBI employees' personally identifiable information - things like name, address and phone number. Having that information out in the world has counterintelligence implications, Kaiser says.
KAISER: This is a gold mine for foreign actors, for other countries looking to figure out ways to target FBI employees, just know more about what might be going on at the FBI, what types of numbers there are, how they can target people, etc.
LUCAS: A bigger immediate concern for her, though, revolves around questions of basic safety.
KAISER: I'm worried a little bit more about the short-term effects of criminals who could get their hands on this type of data and actually target FBI employees and their families at their homes.
LUCAS: That's because FBI agents' names are on publicly available court records that connect them to specific criminal cases. As for the ongoing investigation into the breach, Kaiser says in the immediate term, the FBI typically tries to verify the data that's been taken and alert employees and applicants whose information may have been affected. It also likely will redouble its efforts against the group behind this.
KAISER: It feels like a really bad idea to target law enforcement, especially in such a publicly shaming way. You put a target on your back.
LUCAS: Kaiser says ShinyHunters is generally motivated by money. In this instance, though, the motive appears to be elsewhere. The group is demanding that the FBI change or remove a public advisory it released about the group and its tactics.
Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
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