Cyber Incident Victim: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date:
Feb 2016
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A hacker breached and leaked personal information of nearly 30,000 employees from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, reportedly accessing the data through a Department of Justice system. The attacker, operating under the Twitter handle @DotGov, included a pro-Palestinian political message referencing Gaza and West Bank concerns alongside the leaked records. Media verification confirmed the authenticity of portions of the data by contacting listed employees, some of whom acknowledged their information. While the agencies denied exposure of sensitive or personally identifiable data, they initiated investigations into the incident. The hacker subsequently deleted related social media posts claiming responsibility for the breach.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 3 techniques |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
In early February 2016, a hacker breached U.S. government systems and leaked personal information of approximately 20,000 FBI employees and 9,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees. The incident occurred shortly after the massive 2015 Office of Personnel Management breach, compounding existing cybersecurity concerns. Vice's Motherboard first reported the breach after an anonymous hacker claimed to have downloaded data from a Department of Justice computer. Journalists verified the authenticity of the leaked databases by contacting randomly selected employees listed in the records, reaching voicemails and confirming identities through direct conversations. During verification attempts, Motherboard successfully contacted the FBI operations center, with some employees confirming their employment details matched the leaked information.
The hacker operating under the Twitter handle @DotGov claimed responsibility for the breach, sharing a pro-Palestinian political message referencing Gaza and West Bank issues alongside the data release. While Twitter users circulated screenshots of @DotGov's now-deleted posts about the FBI/DHS leaks, both affected agencies issued conflicting statements about the incident's severity. The DHS spokesperson denied any compromise of sensitive or personally identifiable information but confirmed an ongoing investigation into the matter. Similarly, the FBI maintained that no sensitive data had been exposed while emphasizing their continued security measures. Despite these official denials, the successful verification of employee information through direct contact demonstrated that at least basic personnel details had been compromised and disseminated publicly.