The Iran-linked hacking group Handala has claimed responsibility for breaching FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal Gmail account, prompting an official investigation and a $10 million bounty for information.

Key points

• The FBI confirmed the breach but stated the exposed files are historical and contain no classified government information.
• TechCrunch verified the authenticity of several leaked emails, some of which date back to 2014 and 2019.
• Handala is widely identified as a front for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, also known as Void Manticore.
• The group recently executed a destructive cyberattack against medical technology firm Stryker, reportedly wiping over 200,000 devices.
• The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of the Handala hackers.

This incident highlights the persistent vulnerability of high-ranking government officials to state-sponsored cyber espionage, even when using personal accounts. It also underscores the escalating frequency of destructive wiper attacks conducted by Iran-backed groups against Western organizations.