FBI Hackers Say They Won’t Publish the Stolen Employee Data

ShinyHunters, the group accused of stealing data on FBI employees, told 404 Media on Monday that it will not publish the stolen material. The statement goes against what security specialists expected after the group set a one-week deadline.

What ShinyHunters says now

“Since the very beginning we had made our decision that we would never publish this data. We have never intended to nor have we ever planned to,” a representative of the group told 404 Media.

In a longer message the representative rejected the idea that the operation was extortion. “Since the very beginning of this event we have unequivocally and assiduously emphasised this is NOT extortion, this is NOT ransom, this is NOT financially motivated,” the group said. According to the group, the public and the media misread the one-week deadline as a payment demand. “This was all a marketing campaign to protect our business and actively combat disinformation,” the statement said.

Security researchers point out that ShinyHunters has previously threatened to publish victims’ data to extract money, which is why many read the deadline that way.

The FBI’s response

The FBI told 404 Media that it is investigating the incident involving FBIJobs.gov and is in contact with people who may be affected. “The FBI treats the security of its information and the safety of its workforce as top priorities, and our investigation is ongoing,” the Bureau said.

According to the New York Times, on Monday the FBI sent staff a memo promising virtual briefings and telling employees to stay vigilant both at home and at work. “Bureau leadership remains committed to supporting the safety of you and your family,” the memo reportedly said.

Why the data still matters

The decision not to publish does not remove the damage. Last week the group gave 404 Media a sample of 5,000 FBI officials, in many cases including details about their spouses, and said the stolen material totalled 2-3 terabytes. Reuters reported that some of those people work on China or Russia cases, while the BBC said the haul included Special Agents’ blood and urine test results.

The sample has already spread. The researcher and YouTuber John Hammond said he obtained a copy, but declined to explain how. Krebs on Security reported that Dutch authorities arrested a 23-year-old on suspicion of helping the group. ShinyHunters rejected the arrest, saying the person has no connection to them.