Months after attempting to extort Rockstar Games over a leak of its private financial data, the hacking group ShinyHunters has set its sights on a new, more dangerous target: the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The group is threatening to release sensitive information belonging to current and former FBI employees.
ShinyHunters gained notoriety earlier this year when they attempted to pressure Rockstar Games into paying a ransom following a data breach. Rockstar largely ignored the threat, leading ShinyHunters to release internal financial documents. This leak contrasted with a separate, more significant leak of gameplay footage for Grand Theft Auto 6. The financial data, which revealed that GTA Online alone was generating approximately $1 million daily, proved more interesting to analysts and journalists than to the general public.
Prior to the Rockstar incident, the FBI had issued a public service announcement regarding ShinyHunters, noting the group's history of breaching institutions like Harvard University and Pornhub. The FBI detailed ShinyHunters' methods, which included harassment, threatening text messages, and swatting.
According to The New York Times, ShinyHunters took issue with the FBI's description and retaliated by breaching an online job portal used by the FBI. This breach reportedly exposed the personal data of tens of thousands of individuals, including home addresses, phone numbers, spousal information, and some medical details. The group has stated that they will release this data publicly unless the FBI retracts or corrects its advisory within a week.
The FBI has confirmed the security breach and is actively investigating the source, whether it originated internally or through a third-party provider supporting FBIJobs.gov. A spokesperson indicated the bureau is working closely with these providers to mitigate risks.
Experts have warned that a public release of this data could pose significant national security risks, potentially providing foreign intelligence agencies with access to sensitive information about FBI personnel. This situation presents a more serious threat than the earlier breach involving Rockstar Games.