FBI says investigating breach of ‘very sensitive’ data by hackers

For context, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation notes it is investigating a breach of its jobs website by a hacking group that claims to have obtained sensitive data on thousands of employees.

Key points

• According to Reuters, the data includes granular detail regarding scores of bureau officials's job assignments, including sensitive work against Chinese spies, Russian intelligence, drug cartels and more.
• On Wednesday, the group remarked it was trying to keep the ⁠⁠personnel information from circulating widely in the meantime.
• In March, the FBI disclosed that it was investigating "suspicious activities" on an internal system that contains sensitive information related to surveillance operations and investigations.
• The group "may falsely claim to have sensitive or compromising information, including embarrassing photographs or videos of victims, which frequently do not exist, " the FBI remarked.

"The FBI is aware of a cybercriminal enterprise group claiming a compromise of the fbijobs.gov portal and alleged impact to FBI employee personally identifiable information, " the agency remarked in an official note on Wednesday.

"While the point of breach is still undetermined – whether a third -party or the FBI's enterprise – we are actively and aggressively investigating this matter and working closely with those third-party providers that support fbijobs.gov to mitigate any and all risk."

For context, a number of news outlets, including Reuters news agency, noted they had seen parts of the data, asserted to be part of a larger trove between two and three terabytes by ShinyHunters, a hacking group claiming responsibility for the breach. According to Reuters, the data includes granular detail regarding scores of bureau officials's job assignments, including sensitive work against Chinese spies, Russian intelligence, drug cartels and more.

ShinyHunters remarked on Tuesday that it had breached the FBI and stolen data on a enormous number of current and former FBI employees. ⁠⁠It noted it is holding the data hostage until the bureau rescinds an unflattering statement concerning the group issued in May. On Wednesday, the group remarked it was trying to keep the ⁠⁠personnel information from circulating widely in the meantime.

Notably, an FBI statement in May characterised ShinyHunters as "threat actors" who often harass or threaten victims, using "their real or exaggerated claims of access to sensitive or personal information to prompt payment from victims".

For context, the group "may falsely claim to have sensitive or compromising information, including embarrassing photographs or videos of victims, which frequently do not exist, " the FBI remarked. The FBI has been a common hacking target.

In March, the FBI disclosed that it was investigating "suspicious activities" on an internal system that contains sensitive information related to surveillance operations and investigations. Additionally that month, a pro-Iranian hacking group maintained to have hacked an account of FBI Director Kash Patel and posted online what appear to be years-old photographs of him, along with a work resume and other personal documents dating back more than a decade. The jobs portal was still offline Wednesday afternoon.

In short, FBI says investigating breach of 'very sensitive' data by hackers is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.