FBI Probes Apparent Breach of Jobs Portal as Hacking Group Claims Data Theft

The FBI has launched an investigation into an apparent breach of its recruitment website after a criminal hacking group claimed to have obtained sensitive information on a large number of agents and job seekers.

In a statement, the bureau said it was aware of claims about unauthorised activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and was looking into the matter. The site, which serves as the primary gateway for prospective employees to learn about the agency and begin the application process, remained unavailable on Wednesday morning.

A message circulating online, attributed to a group known as ShinyHunters, claimed responsibility for the intrusion. The message was addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel and the assistant director overseeing the bureau's cyber division, and asserted that the group had compromised highly sensitive data on nearly all FBI agents and individuals who had applied for jobs with the agency.

The claims have not been independently verified. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment beyond the bureau's initial statement, and an email sent to an address linked to the group did not receive an immediate response.

In its message, ShinyHunters said it was giving the bureau one week to correct or remove what it described as false allegations contained in an FBI public service announcement from May. That announcement labelled the organisation a cyber criminal group specialising in large-scale data breaches and extortion, and described such actors as often using real or exaggerated claims of access to sensitive information to pressure victims into paying. It also noted that these groups may falsely claim to possess compromising material, including embarrassing photographs or videos, which frequently do not exist.

ShinyHunters said it was offended by those characterisations and demanded their removal.

The FBI has frequently been targeted by hackers. In March, the bureau said it was investigating suspicious activity on an internal system holding sensitive information related to surveillance operations and investigations. That same month, a pro-Iranian hacking group claimed to have breached an account belonging to Patel and posted what appeared to be years-old photographs of him, along with a work resume and other personal documents dating back more than a decade.