FBI investigates hackers' claim they stole data on ‘almost all' agents

The FBI is investigating a hacking group that claims it stole a massive amount of personal information belonging to current and former agents as well as people who applied to work for the bureau.

ShinyHunters says it broke into FBIjobs.gov and gained access to between two and three terabytes of files.

The group claims the stolen information covers “almost all” FBI agents and job applicants.

That claim has not been independently verified.

A sample of data shared by the hackers appeared to contain names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, assignments and, in some cases, information about agents' family members.

The FBI confirmed Wednesday that it was investigating the incident but said it was still trying to determine exactly where the breach happened.

The agency said the intrusion could have involved either its own systems or a third-party provider supporting its recruitment website.

FBIjobs.gov and its Special Agent Applicant Portal were unavailable following the incident.

ShinyHunters says the attack was retaliation for an FBI warning published in May that described the group as a cybercriminal operation involved in large-scale data breaches and extortion.

Instead of demanding money, the hackers have given the FBI one week to remove or change parts of that warning. They have threatened to publish the stolen information if the bureau refuses.

If the hackers do possess agents' home addresses and family information, the breach could create security risks beyond the usual problems caused by stolen personal data.