FBI Director Kash Patel is confronting a potentially serious cybersecurity crisis after hackers claimed they stole personal information belonging to bureau employees and job applicants.
The hacking group ShinyHunters alleged that it accessed agents’ names, home addresses, telephone numbers and birth dates, along with information about some of their spouses.
On Tuesday, the group also defaced the FBI’s recruitment website, posting the message: “This site has been seized by ShinyHunters.” The wording appeared to parody the seizure notices the bureau places on criminal websites it shuts down.
The attackers also took aim at Donald Trump, closing their message with the president’s familiar Truth Social sign-off: “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
In an interview with 404 Media, which first reported the alleged intrusion, one hacker issued a threatening message aimed at the Trump administration.
“What we plan to do is not something I’d call extortion, maybe coercion,” the hacker said, insisting the operation was “not financially motivated.”
ShinyHunters is known for stealing data and seeking ransom payments, often threatening to publish additional files when targets refuse to pay.
The FBI told Our News Outlet in a statement: “The FBI is aware of claims regarding unauthorized activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and is currently investigating.”
FBI Director Kash Patel and Alexis Wilkins arrive at the White House ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14
The group released a sample containing 5,000 records that appeared to include addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth. Some entries also contained information about spouses.
Checks by 404 Media found that some of the exposed phone numbers corresponded to individuals with matching names in open-source intelligence databases. Several numbers were also associated with Justice Department personnel, the outlet reported.
The defaced recruitment site claimed the hackers possessed personal and health information on current and former FBI employees, as well as every person who had applied for a job with the bureau.
“We have a lot more than we claim here,” the message continued.
The website was subsequently taken offline. A notice said the Special Agent Applicant Portal was “currently unavailable.”
The FBI has previously warned that criminals linked to ShinyHunters may use stolen personal data to target victims and their relatives with harassment.
According to the group’s representative, the attack began Monday night when hackers exploited a previously unknown software vulnerability, known as a zero-day, in Oracle’s PeopleSoft platform.
The hackers further claimed they reached Amazon’s AWS GovCloud servers, a cloud environment designed to host sensitive US government information, and took between two and three terabytes of files.
Donald Trump attends a meeting at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday
Our News Outlet has contacted Oracle and Amazon seeking comment on the claims.
The reported breach adds to the scrutiny surrounding Patel, 46, who has faced several controversies since taking the oath as FBI director in February 2025.
It comes a week after Patel faced heated questioning at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing over changes to FBI hiring standards involving prostitution and bestiality.
Patel defended the changes, saying they were meant to let victims of those acts apply for FBI jobs without being automatically disqualified.
In April, Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic over an article alleging mismanagement at the agency and excessive drinking, claims he denies.
He has also faced scrutiny over his use of the bureau’s $60 million jet, including a trip to see his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at a Penn State wrestling event last year.
Patel has insisted he is ‘entitled to a personal life just like my other agency counterparts with their partners.’
