The cybercriminal group ShinyHunters has claimed to have hacked the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) system and stolen sensitive medical data belonging to thousands of special agents.
BBC News has viewed samples of medical examination records—specifically those assessing ‘fitness for duty’—that were among the stolen files. These documents contain blood and urine test results, doctors’ notes, and details regarding various physical conditions.
Some notes even mention specific allergies, such as reactions to shellfish or bananas. The stolen documents include agents’ full names, addresses, phone numbers, badge numbers, and job titles, alongside medical information like ‘blood in urine’ and ‘high cholesterol.’ Information regarding some agents’ spouses was also found.
Experts warn that this data could be used to target agents for fraud, blackmail, or cyberattacks. Criminals could also exploit the information to impersonate law enforcement officials.
Etay Maor, Vice President of Threat Intelligence at Cato Networks, said, “This list links thousands of agents to their medical and fitness-for-duty records.”
He added, “If a password is stolen, it can be changed, but medical records cannot. Once this information is exposed, it remains permanently at risk.”
The FBI did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. However, on Wednesday, the agency acknowledged the hacking incident and stated that a “vigorous investigation” is underway to determine how it occurred.
ShinyHunters claimed to have breached the FBI’s system last Monday. They subsequently published details of the attack on a darknet site and sent samples of the allegedly stolen data to journalists.
However, the group did not demand any money. They are demanding the withdrawal of an FBI advisory notice published last May, claiming the notice “insulted” them.
The samples obtained by journalists appeared to be genuine. These documents are believed to contain information on thousands of FBI employees, including senior officials such as the deputy director.
Professor Ciaran Martin, former head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, stated that if the hacking is confirmed, it would be “as serious as a data breach can possibly get.”
Reuters reported that some of the stolen data includes information on agents involved in investigations concerning Russia, China, and drug cartels.
A report by 404 Media suggests that data regarding a previously little-known FBI hacking unit may also have been leaked.
Initially, it was estimated that 38,000 current FBI employees were affected; however, ShinyHunters now claims to possess data on approximately 60,000 current and former employees.
Jamie Akhtar, CEO of Cybersmart, said the hackers’ claims should be treated with caution, though the data breach itself is highly concerning.
He noted that this information could be used to conduct credible phishing attacks, impersonation, identity fraud, blackmail, or even attacks targeting law enforcement personnel.
The hackers, who communicated with journalists via Telegram, stated that they would release the entire dataset within five days if the FBI did not meet their demands.
Active since 2019, ShinyHunters is an international hacking group linked to several high-profile cyberattacks, including those targeting Rockstar Games and the educational platform Canvas.
