Federal authorities are probing an apparent breach of the FBI’s recruitment website after a criminal cyber group claimed to have accessed "very sensitive data" on nearly all agents and job applicants.
"The FBI is aware of claims regarding unauthorized activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and is currently investigating," the bureau said in a statement.
The site, the primary portal for prospective employees to learn about positions and apply, remained offline Wednesday morning.
An online message from a hacking collective known as ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the incident.
The message, directed to FBI Director Kash Patel and the assistant director in charge of the FBI's cyber division, stated the group had "compromised very sensitive data on almost ALL FBI Agents and individuals who filed an application with the FBI for a job."
These claims could not immediately be verified, and an FBI spokesperson declined to comment further.
An email sent to an address associated with the organization was not immediately returned.
ShinyHunters stated it was giving the bureau one week to correct or remove allegations from a May public service announcement that described the network as a "cyber criminal group specializing in large-scale data breaches and extortion."
That announcement characterized ShinyHunters as "threat actors" who often "use their real or exaggerated claims of access to sensitive or personal information to prompt payment from victims," routinely harass targets, and "may falsely claim to have sensitive or compromising information, including embarrassing photographs or videos of victims, which frequently do not exist."
In its message, ShinyHunters claimed it was "offended" by those characterizations and demanded the bureau retract them.
The FBI has repeatedly been targeted by cyberattacks.
In March, the FBI disclosed an inquiry into "suspicious activities" on an internal system holding sensitive data related to surveillance operations and investigations.
That same month, a pro-Iranian hacking group claimed to breach an account belonging to Patel, publishing old photographs, a resume, and personal documents online.
