If you have ever filled out a job application, handed over your Social Security number for a background check or trusted an organization with information about your family, pay attention to what happened at the FBI.
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what → fill → FBI
The cybercriminal group ShinyHunters claims it compromised FBIJobs.gov and stole highly sensitive information connected to current and former FBI personnel and people who applied for jobs at the Bureau.
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who → claim → Bureau
The group says its haul reaches far beyond basic contact information.
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haul → say → information
On Sept. 23, the FBI acknowledged the group's claims and said it was "actively and aggressively investigating" the incident.
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it → acknowledge → incident
The Bureau said investigators had not yet determined whether the point of breach involved an FBI system or a third-party provider supporting FBIJobs.gov.
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point → say → FBIJobs.gov
At the same time, samples provided to journalists contain enough real-world information to make the situation difficult to dismiss.
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situation → provide → information
For anyone whose details may be included, the potential fallout goes well beyond having an email address leaked.
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address → include → anyone
Since that statement, the FBI has struck back by announcing the arrest of an alleged ShinyHunters leader in the Netherlands following a joint operation with Dutch authorities.
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FBI → strike → authorities
Dutch police said a 24-year-old Amsterdam man was arrested Sept. 15.
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man → say → ?
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you → watch → healthcare
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you → get → replay
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you → walk → doctor
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experience → need → ?
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What the FBI said about the FBIJobs.gov incident
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said → watch → incident
In its Sept. 23 statement, the FBI addressed both the alleged compromise and the uncertainty surrounding where the attackers may have gained access.
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attackers → address → access
"The FBI is aware of a cybercriminal enterprise group claiming a compromise of the fbijobs.gov portal," the Bureau said.
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Bureau → claim → portal
It added that the point of breach remained undetermined and said it was "actively and aggressively investigating this matter."
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it → add → matter
The FBI also said investigators were working closely with third-party providers that support FBIJobs.gov to reduce potential risk.
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that → say → risk
The FBI confirmed the investigation and the unresolved question about where the breach occurred.
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breach → confirm → investigation
It did not verify ShinyHunters' full account of what the group says it stole.
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it → verify → what
The FBI's Special Agent Applicant Portal also became unavailable as the incident unfolded.
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incident → become → ?
A notice posted on Sept. 22 said FBIJobs.gov and the Special Agent Applicant Portal were unavailable.
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FBIJobs.gov → post → Sept.
The applicant portal supports people who have progressed through portions of the special-agent hiring process, making the type of information potentially involved especially sensitive.
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type → support → information
CyberGuy reached out to the FBI for an update on the incident, including whether employee or applicant data was accessed and whether affected individuals are being notified or offered identity protection.
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individuals → reach → protection
We did not hear back before our deadline.
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We → hear → deadline
The data sample raises much bigger concerns
ShinyHunters provided journalists with a spreadsheet containing about 5,000 alleged FBI personnel records.
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ShinyHunters → raise → records
Reuters reported that the spreadsheet included names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and emergency contact information.
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spreadsheet → report → birth
It also included information about field-office assignments and, in some cases, sensitive intelligence or counterespionage work.
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It → include → cases
Reuters said it could not authenticate the entire spreadsheet.
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it → say → spreadsheet
However, reporters independently verified details belonging to more than 22 people by comparing the information with credit records and earlier leaked data.
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reporters → verify → records
Reuters also matched career information or job titles for eight people against court filings, news reports, public profiles and online posts.
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Reuters → match → filings
That still does not establish where every record came from.
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record → establish → where
Real information can appear in several databases or previous breaches.
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information → appear → databases
Yet the matches add credibility to at least portions of the sample.
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matches → add → sample
404 Media separately reported that the 5,000-person sample contained names, home addresses, phone numbers and information involving FBI employees' spouses.
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sample → report → spouses
Sensitive FBI assignments reportedly appeared in the data
The personal information alone creates obvious privacy concerns.
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information → appear → concerns
The reported job information raises another level of risk.
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information → report → risk
Reuters found records identifying people connected to China-related investigations, Russian intelligence work, human intelligence operations and electronic surveillance.
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Reuters → find → investigations
Other entries referenced covert access, clandestine technical operations and telecommunications interception.
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entries → reference → access
Reuters said it could not verify that every assignment was authentic or up to date.
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assignment → say → date
…and 101 more, not listed.
The Aporia
