FBI Hackers Claim Stolen Sensitive Medical Data of Thousands of Special Agents
Cybercriminals say they have medical examination records and are demanding an FBI advisory retraction.
Cyber-criminals have claimed responsibility for a hack that allegedly compromised sensitive medical data belonging to thousands of FBI special agents. The group, known as ShinyHunters, states it breached FBI systems and is in possession of "fitness-for-work" medical examination results, including blood and urine test outcomes, alongside doctors' notes. The stolen information reportedly contains agents' full names, addresses, and details of medical concerns such as high cholesterol and allergies.
The FBI has acknowledged the breach and is conducting an aggressive investigation into how it occurred, though it has not yet responded to specific requests for comment. ShinyHunters claimed to have accessed multiple FBI platforms, including those handling background checks and medical records, by exploiting a vulnerability in an Oracle cloud storage system. The group initially suggested the breach affected up to 38,000 employees but later revised its claim to hold data on approximately 60,000 current and former FBI staff.
Experts warn that the exposed data could render agents vulnerable to various threats, including scams, blackmail, identity fraud, and targeted attacks. The compromised information might also be used to impersonate law enforcement officers. The permanence of medical records means that once this data is public, it remains compromised indefinitely, amplifying the seriousness of the leak for the entire workforce.
ShinyHunters has not demanded monetary payment. Instead, their demand is for the FBI to retract an advisory published in May, which the group claims "offended" them. Samples of the alleged stolen data, shared with reporters, appear genuine and include names, addresses, phone numbers, badge numbers, job titles, and information about spouses and senior officials. Some of the data is also reported to contain information on agents involved in investigations related to Russia, China, and drug cartels, as well as details of a previously little-known FBI hacking unit.
The hackers stated they would release the full dataset within five days if their demand for the advisory retraction is not met. ShinyHunters is an international hacking collective active since 2019, previously linked to breaches affecting companies like Rockstar Games and the education platform Canvas. The FBI is investigating whether the breach originated from its systems directly or through a compromised third-party provider.