Iran hacked FBI Director "Ka$h" Patel's personal email

Since being installed as director of the FBI, right-wing podcaster Kashyap "Ka$h" Patel has emerged as the second Trump administration's figure of fun, flying to see his girlfriend on the taxpayer's dime, partying in the locker room at the Olympics, and constantly posting, even if it flouts policy. It seems fitting, then, that his personal email has reportedly been hacked by a group affiliated with Iran (though the FBI itself and other sources conclude it simply is Iran.)

"Today, once again, the world witnessed the collapse of America's so-called security legends. While the FBI proudly seized our domains and immediately announced a $10 million reward for the heads of Handala Hack members, we decided to respond to this ridiculous show in a way that will be remembered forever," the Handala group wrote in a message.

Oops.

On their website, the hacker ​group Handala Hack Team said Patel "will now find ​his name among the list of successfully hacked ⁠victims." A Justice Department official confirmed that Patel's email had ​been breached and said the material published online appeared authentic.

The hacker(s) posted some images and documents supposedly lifted from Patel's account, and claims to have years of personal and professional correspondence. But it's not recent stuff: "samples reviewed by media outlets suggest the data may date between 2010 and 2019." So this appears to be more of a "forgotten gmail account with the password Ka$hrules" situation than an "infiltrated the live communications of a top U.S. official" situation. What's out there is innocuous enough, even boring. Turns out he likes cigars!

Earlier this month, though, the FBI boasted about disrupting the work of Handala, which it identified with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. So even a cigar is embarrassing enough.

"Iran thought they could hide behind fake websites and keyboard threats to terrorize Americans and silence dissidents," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "We took down four of their operation's pillars and we're not done. This FBI will hunt down every actor behind these cowardly death threats and cyberattacks and will bring the full force of American law enforcement down on them."