The Federal Bureau of Investigation is actively probing claims by the notorious cyber-crime collective ShinyHunters that it successfully breached agency servers and compromised personal records belonging to roughly 38,000 current and former bureau employees.

The hackers assert they obtained comprehensive files containing every agent’s name, role, badge number, home address, phone number, and spouse information. According to reports, a small sample of the pilfered database reviewed by media outlets appears to be genuine, featuring details tied to sensitive national security assignments targeting foreign intelligence networks.

Professor Ciaran Martin, former head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, described the incident – if confirmed – as “as serious as it gets when it comes to data breaches.”

Unlike typical financially motivated attacks, the collective stated its actions stem from retaliation. The hackers demanded the FBI retract a public advisory published in May that characterised the group as aggressive threat actors using harassment and extortion.

The syndicate gave the bureau a one-week ultimatum to correct the statements or face the full public release of the stolen files.

In an official social media statement, the FBI confirmed it is “aware of claims regarding unauthorised activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and is currently investigating” alongside third-party service providers.

Cybersecurity analysts have warned that the breach poses severe security implications. William Wright of Closed Door Security called it a direct “retaliation attack”, while researcher Andrew Brandt noted that the situation could trigger an intense federal manhunt, stating, “ShinyHunters must feel pretty confident they won’t get caught to threaten a government agency like this.”

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