A notorious hacking group claims it has breached FBI systems and stolen sensitive personal information belonging to thousands of bureau employees - including home addresses, phone numbers and details about their spouses.
The ShinyHunters group made the claim Tuesday, although the FBI has not confirmed that its systems were breached. Reuters reported that it contacted the bureau several times for comment but had received no response at the time of publication.
Technology outlet 404 Media said it obtained a sample of approximately 5,000 records belonging to people allegedly connected to the FBI. The information examined reportedly included names, home addresses, phone numbers and information concerning the spouses of FBI employees.
ShinyHunters claims the data it obtained is significantly larger and includes information on FBI personnel. However, the group's broader claims have not been independently verified, and it remains unclear how deeply the hackers may have penetrated FBI systems.
The alleged attack comes amid continued activity by ShinyHunters in the cybercrime world. In recent days, the group also claimed to have taken control of a dark-web website operated by rival hacking group Cl0p, in an unusual confrontation between two prominent cybercrime groups.
If confirmed on the scale claimed by ShinyHunters, the incident would represent a significant cybersecurity breach, particularly because of the sensitive personal information reportedly exposed.
For now, the scope and nature of the alleged breach remain unclear, with the claims awaiting confirmation from the FBI.