DOJ confirms FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email was hacked
Recorded: March 28, 2026, 4 a.m.
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DOJ confirms FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email was hacked - Ars Technica Skip to content Ars Technica home Sections Forum Subscribe Search AI Biz & IT Cars Culture Gaming Health Policy Science Security Space Tech Feature Reviews AI Biz & IT Cars Culture Gaming Health Policy Science Security Space Tech Forum Subscribe Story text Size Small Width Standard Links Standard * Subscribers only Pin to story Theme HyperLight Day & Night Dark System Search Sign In Handala Hack battles intensify DOJ confirms FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email was hacked Hackers claimed the attack was retaliation after Patel vowed to “hunt” them. Ashley Belanger Mar 27, 2026 12:24 pm 152 FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account was hacked.
FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account was hacked.
Text Story text Size Small Width Standard Links Standard * Subscribers only Minimize to nav Iran-linked hackers successfully broke into FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email, the Department of Justice confirmed to Reuters on Friday. The group, which Western researchers believe is “one of several personas used by Iranian government cyberintelligence units,” opposes US support for Israel, Reuters reported. Their cyberattacks on US entities followed a major military attack from the US and Israel that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In their press release, the DOJ quoted from emails in which the group sent death threats to dissidents in the US. Ashley Belanger Ashley Belanger Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 152 Comments Comments Forum view Loading comments... Prev story Next story Most Read 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Customize Ars Technica has been separating the signal from More Contact Manage Preferences |
The Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email account had been hacked, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict with the Handala Hack Team. This hacking group, identified as one closely linked to Iranian government cyberintelligence units and characterized as pro-Palestinian vigilante hackers, retaliated following the DOJ’s disruption of several of the group’s websites. Patel, in a forceful press release, vowed to “hunt” the group, offering a substantial reward of up to $10 million for information leading to their identification. The Handala Hack Team, in turn, responded by publishing on their website boasting of their successful breach, stating that Patel’s “impenetrable” systems had been brought to their knees within hours. The attack involved the exfiltration of information, including emails, conversations, documents, and potentially classified files, from Patel’s account. The group claimed to have leveraged this access to expose Patel’s personal details and taunted the FBI with images and documents allegedly from his personal life. This incident unfolded against the backdrop of heightened tensions following a major military action involving the United States and Israel, which resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Handala Hack Team explicitly framed their cyberattacks as retaliation against Western entities, aligning themselves with the narrative of opposing US support for Israel and expressing loyalty to Khamenei. Evidence of death threats sent by the group to dissidents within the United States was cited by the DOJ as further justification for their aggressive response. The DOJ, in its statement, referenced the group’s history of attacks on US entities and their association with Iranian government cyberintelligence. The threat of pursuing legal action against the group members was emphasized, highlighting the seriousness with which the FBI was approaching the situation. As of the time of the report, the FBI had not yet issued an official statement regarding the breach, further intensifying the situation and raising concerns about the security vulnerabilities within the agency. Ashley Belanger, Senior Policy Reporter for Ars Technica, reported that Western researchers believe the group is one of several personas used by Iranian government cyberintelligence units, underscoring the sophisticated nature of the threat. The group’s actions, according to its publicly stated motives, represent a direct challenge to the United States and its allies, escalating a cyberwarfare dynamic already fueled by geopolitical tensions. |