Short answer
The FBI classified a hack of its FBIJobs.gov portal as a major cyber incident in September 2026. ShinyHunters claimed responsibility. A DOJ memo reported on 3 November says some US attorney office employees may also have had data stolen, and notifications are going out on a rolling basis.
If you think your details were included, start with our checklist on what to do after a data breach.
Key facts
| Organization | Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBIJobs.gov) |
|---|---|
| Incident type | Data breach |
| Status | Confirmed by authorities |
| Sector | Government and law enforcement |
| Country | United States |
| Detected | 2026-09-21 |
| Disclosed | 2026-09-22 |
| People or records affected | Nearly every FBI employee plus more than 8,000 state and local task force officers, per MS NOW; DOJ has not said how many of its staff are affected |
What data was exposed
- Names, home addresses, cell phone numbers, FBI email addresses and employee ID numbers, per MS NOW citing officials
- For emergency contacts, Social Security numbers and personal email addresses, per the same report
- Background-check information on DOJ employees and job applicants held in the same portal, per a DOJ memo reported by Politico
What happened
In September 2026 ShinyHunters claimed it had breached FBIJobs.gov, the FBI’s job application portal. The Hacker News reported the claim on 22 September, and the FBI’s first statement said it was aware of claims about unauthorized activity affecting the site and was investigating. Politico reports FBI investigators later classified it as a “major” cyber incident.
On 3 November Politico reported that a Justice Department memo, from Francey Hakes, director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, warns that some DOJ staff in U.S. attorney offices may also have had information stolen. The portal holds background-check information on DOJ employees and applicants.
What data was exposed
MS NOW, citing current and former officials, reports names, home addresses, cell phone numbers, FBI email addresses and employee ID numbers for nearly every FBI employee, plus more than 8,000 state and local officers who worked on FBI task forces. For emergency contacts, it reports Social Security numbers and personal email addresses. Politico lists Social Security numbers, birth dates, phone numbers, addresses and emergency contacts.
The FBI has described the data as historical. We could not find an FBI statement giving a total count.
Claims and the FBI’s account
ShinyHunters said it stole 2 to 3 terabytes of data. That figure has not been verified by the FBI. MS NOW reports the group released a sample of 5,000 records and later said it will not release the full dataset, though experts warn foreign governments may still be trying to obtain it.
An FBI official said the breach came from a vulnerability in software maintained by a third-party vendor, and Politico reports the bureau removed that contractor from managing the system. MS NOW reports the hackers exploited a previously unknown flaw in Oracle PeopleSoft and got around an earlier patch. These are reports and officials’ accounts, not a published forensic finding.
Notifications
DOJ said the FBI is validating contact information and that “precautionary” notifications are going out on a rolling basis, with formal notices to follow once the FBI confirms each person’s data. DOJ declined to say how many have been notified. A DOJ prosecutor told Politico that employees fear the data could be used against prosecutors, agents and their families.
What to do if you are affected
Follow the official notice and confirm it through a contact you already know, since impersonators will exploit the news. See our data breach checklist for credit freezes and monitoring. Government impersonation is covered in our government impersonation scams guide, and the phishing messages guide helps with suspicious emails. A related leak is the DHS employee records leak.
Scams to watch for after this breach
Criminals use breach news as cover. Expect messages that mention the incident, quote real details, or offer help.
- Phone calls, texts or emails that use a real agent's or relative's name and address to sound credible, including blackmail or extortion attempts.
- Impersonation of FBI or DOJ staff asking for personal information to 'confirm' a record.
- Social engineering aimed at emergency contacts, using their Social Security number or personal email.
What to do if you are affected
- 01If you receive an FBI or DOJ notification, follow its instructions and confirm it through an official contact you already know.
- 02Freeze your credit at the three bureaus if your Social Security number may be exposed, and consider an identity protection PIN.
- 03Do not respond to anyone who threatens to expose your family or address. Preserve the message and report it.
- 04Tell family members and emergency contacts to expect scam calls that use their details.
- 05Use unique passwords and authenticator-based two-factor on personal email accounts that were listed as contacts.
Frequently asked questions
What did the FBI say?
In its first statement the FBI said it was aware of claims about unauthorized activity affecting FBIjobs.gov and was investigating. Later it said the incident involved a failure of a platform managed by a third-party vendor.
Who claimed responsibility?
The group ShinyHunters. It said it took data on nearly all FBI staff, which is a claim. MS NOW reports it released a sample of 5,000 records and later said it would not release the full dataset.
Is the Justice Department affected?
A memo from the Executive Office for US Attorneys, reported by Politico on 3 November, warns that some staff in US attorney offices may have had information stolen. DOJ has not said how many.
Were classified systems reached?
MS NOW reports, citing current and former officials, that the hackers did not reach the FBI's core investigative network or any classified systems.
How did the hackers get in?
MS NOW reports they exploited a previously unknown vulnerability in Oracle PeopleSoft behind the portal, and that the FBI blamed a vendor's failure. The FBI has not published a technical account.
Sources
- DOJ warns FBI data breach likely extends to Justice Department employees, Politico (via Yahoo News), 2026-11-03
- Massive FBI hack hit most employees and extends to local officials, MS NOW, 2026-10-03
- ShinyHunters Claims FBI Breach, Says It Stole Data on Agents and Job Applicants, The Hacker News, 2026-09-22
This post summarises public reporting as of 2026-11-06. Details of live incidents change; we update posts when the organization or regulators publish new facts. Spot an error? See our editorial and corrections policy.