Hackers Claimed Stolen FBI Data Includes Sensitive Medical Records
The stolen data, which includes psychiatric and medical evaluation records, could pose a counterintelligence risk, experts said.
The ShinyHunters hacker group, which claimed responsibility for a recent breach of FBI systems, stated that the stolen data includes sensitive psychiatric and medical evaluation records, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.
ShinyHunters announced its breach of the FBI on Tuesday, asserting it had accessed between 2 to 3 terabytes of data from the FBIjobs.gov site. The group previously shared details about bureau employees and their assignments, including information related to investigations into Chinese spies, Russian intelligence, and drug cartels. The circulation of this data to a small group of reporters earlier this week included a blood and urine test document, the BBC reported on Friday. The presence of mental health evaluations and other sensitive medical files had not been previously disclosed.
Former FBI operative Eric O’Neill, founder of the cybersecurity consultancy Nexasure AI, warned that the inclusion of medical data elevates the breach to a level comparable to the 2015 Office of Personnel Management intrusion. That incident exposed the personal information of millions of Americans who had applied for security clearances, with allegations of Chinese intelligence involvement. O'Neill described the newly exposed medical data as a significant attractant for hostile intelligence agencies.
"I would be shocked if Russian intelligence isn't knocking on their door and saying, ‘We want that stuff, hand it over,’" O'Neill stated.
The FBI acknowledged an ongoing investigation into the reported breach. In a statement released Thursday, the bureau indicated it was "aggressively investigating" the incident but declined to comment on the specifics of the stolen records.