FBI Security Breach: Hackers 'Steal Data' on Every One of Kash Patel's Agents — And Claim It's 'Not Financially Motivated'
Kash Patel is dealing with another controversy after hackers breached the FBI personnel data files.
Sept. 22 2026, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
An elite group of online hackers claims it has breached multiple FBI-related services and stolen data on "all FBI employees and applicants," RadarOnline.com can report.
FBI director Kash Patel has been forced to seal the breach quickly after the group, which calls itself "ShinyHunters," said it obtained FBI agents' names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and even information on their significant others.
ShinyHunters Takes Credit for the Hack
The group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for hacking into the FBI servers.
A representative for the hacking group said ShinyHunters attacked on Monday night, telling tech site 404 Media, "We hacked the FBI. We hold data on all FBI employees and applicants."
In a separate statement posted to its dark-web site, ShinyHunters said it had targeted the FBI in response to a May 2026 agency announcement that detailed its methods, claiming it had stolen data "on almost ALL FBI Agents, and individuals who filed an application with the FBI for a job."
The hackers also took credit for defacing the FBI jobs website on Tuesday, September 22, with a message that reads, “this site has been seized by ShinyHunters" – which 404 Media called a nod to the seizure notices the FBI and other law enforcement agencies often put on sites after taking them down.
Hours later, the FBI regained control of the site, which instead featured a photo of a pair of FBI Crisis Response K-9's along with the supposedly humorous message, "We're sniffing out site updates for you!" while promising, "The site is currently down for maintenance but will be back up soon!"
The Hackers Mocked Donald Trump's Truth Social Sign Off
The group also hacked the FBI jobs website.
The group's message continued, "All FBI data was compromised, including PII/PHI [personally identifiable information and protected health information] on incumbent and former FBI employees and all applicant information," while also threatening, "We have a lot more than we claim here."
The announcement ended with a note mocking President Trump's Truth Social post conclusions, ending: "Thank you for your attention to this matter."
An FBI spokesperson told 404 Media in an email, "The FBI is aware of claims regarding unauthorized activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and is currently investigating."
This Hack is Not About Money
The FBI is investigating the hacking.
The FBI had previously raised the ire of the group after the agency said ShinyHunters "exaggerates its claims of access to sensitive data to illicit payment."
However, ShinyHunters replied that they aren't looking for any type of financial gain, telling 404 Media, "What we plan to do is not something I'd call extortion, maybe coercion.”
The group insisted, "This is not financially motivated."
Kash Patel Under Fire
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Patel is scrambling to cover the leaks.
Any data breach could be a massive black eye for Patel, who has come under fire for his perceived leadership of the FBI. A breach could also lead to multiple national security and counterintelligence implications.
"Criminals from the same ecosystem as ShinyHunters have previously used hacked data like phone records to track, intimidate, and harass the FBI agents investigating them," 404 Media reported. "The highly sensitive data could also be a boon to foreign intelligence agencies who want to better understand how one of the most important law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the U.S. operates.
"And if the data fell into the hands of more criminals, FBI agents and their spouses could face serious threats to their safety."
