Just days after ShinyHunters claimed to have hacked the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) employment website, the American investigative agency has hit back at the hacking group, arresting an alleged leader of the notorious syndicate. In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of "one of the alleged leaders of ShinyHunters – a global cybercrime and threat actor group linked to cyberattacks in the United States". The alleged ShinyHunters leader, identified as 24-year-old Amsterdam man Pepijn van der Stap, was arrested in the Netherlands on September 15 following a joint operation involving the FBI and Dutch authorities.<h2>What we know about the ShinyHunters leader</h2>Dutch police said a 24-year-old man from Amsterdam was arrested on September 15 over his alleged involvement with ShinyHunters. He is also suspected of attempting to incite two murders, according to Dutch authorities.Investigators seized multiple electronic devices and said further arrests had not been ruled out.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-hacked-hacking-group-shinyhunters-claims-to-have-compromised-the-fbi-stolen-2-3tb-data-1790240391998">FBI hacked? Hacking group ShinyHunters claims to 'have compromised the FBI,' stolen 2–3TB data</a><h2>Suspect identified by cybersecurity executive</h2>Benjamin Korper, offensive security lead at Amsterdam-based cybersecurity company Neo Security, identified the arrested man as Pepijn van der Stap. Korper told Reuters that Dutch forensic investigators visited his office on September 15, the day Van der Stap was arrested in a police operation involving flash-bang grenades.The arrest has drawn significant attention in the cybersecurity community because Van der Stap had previously been convicted in 2023 of data theft and extortion. He later publicly distanced himself from cybercrime. On his personal website, he wrote that his experience had taught him that “knowledge is for building and protecting, not breaking.”Korper said he had thoroughly vetted Van der Stap before hiring him and had monitored his work. He said an external firm was investigating whether the employee had compromised Neo Security or its customers, but no evidence had so far been found showing that he had acted against the company or its clients. “I truly believe that people deserve a second chance, but in this case I was not thanked for it,” Korper said.<h2>FBI warns remaining ShinyHunters members</h2>FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest was carried out by the Dutch High-Tech Crime Unit in coordination with FBI investigators. “This morning @FBI and our partners the Dutch National Police are announcing the arrest of one of the alleged leaders of ShinyHunters, a global cybercrime and threat actor group linked to cyberattacks in the United States, the Netherlands, and around the world,” Patel wrote on X.He said FBI teams were continuing to work with international and industry partners to develop further leads from the investigation. The FBI's Cyber Division also issued a direct warning to members of the group.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/grading-each-other-s-homework-trump-s-pact-lets-tech-giants-self-police-ai-even-as-rogue-agent-incidents-continue-to-mount-1790733974263">‘Grading each other’s homework’: Trump's pact lets tech giants self-police AI even as rogue-agent incidents continue to mount</a><h2>‘We know how to find you’</h2>Brett Leatherman, assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Division, told remaining ShinyHunters members that investigators were confident the arrest and seized infrastructure would provide further information about the network.“Other groups believed anonymity or their friends would protect them, and they were wrong,” Leatherman said. “Arrests have a way of changing who is willing to talk. And seized infrastructure has a way of showing us who's left.”He added: “The longer you stay in this, the more we learn about you. You know how to find us and we know how find you. I suggest you reach out first while the choice is still yours.”According to Leatherman, ShinyHunters and its alleged co-conspirators have breached more than 140 organisations since last year and obtained at least $70 million in extortion payments. He said the group often targeted third-party vendors and cloud platforms, stealing sensitive information and threatening to publish it unless victims paid.<h2>ShinyHunters denies connection</h2>ShinyHunters, in a statement cited by Reuters, denied that Van der Stap was associated with the group and criticised Dutch police.The group has previously been linked to large-scale data theft and extortion attacks. It also recently claimed responsibility for stealing sensitive personnel data from US FBI systems, although the extent of the alleged breach has remained under investigation.&nbsp;A source cited by Reuters said an internal FBI memo told employees the bureau was operating on the assumption that hackers may have obtained information relating to all FBI employees. &nbsp;

The FBI has arrested a 24-year-old Dutch man identified as an alleged ShinyHunters leader, days after the group claimed to have hacked the agency's employment website. The bureau has warned remaining members as investigators pursue further leads.

Just days after ShinyHunters claimed to have hacked the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) employment website, the American investigative agency has hit back at the hacking group, arresting an alleged leader of the notorious syndicate. In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of "one of the alleged leaders of ShinyHunters – a global cybercrime and threat actor group linked to cyberattacks in the United States". The alleged ShinyHunters leader, identified as 24-year-old Amsterdam man Pepijn van der Stap, was arrested in the Netherlands on September 15 following a joint operation involving the FBI and Dutch authorities. What we know about the ShinyHunters leader Dutch police said a 24-year-old man from Amsterdam was arrested on September 15 over his alleged involvement with ShinyHunters. He is also suspected of attempting to incite two murders, according to Dutch authorities. Investigators seized multiple electronic devices and said further arrests had not been ruled out. Also read | FBI hacked? Hacking group ShinyHunters claims to 'have compromised the FBI,' stolen 2–3TB data Suspect identified by cybersecurity executive Benjamin Korper, offensive security lead at Amsterdam-based cybersecurity company Neo Security, identified the arrested man as Pepijn van der Stap. Korper told Reuters that Dutch forensic investigators visited his office on September 15, the day Van der Stap was arrested in a police operation involving flash-bang grenades. The arrest has drawn significant attention in the cybersecurity community because Van der Stap had previously been convicted in 2023 of data theft and extortion. He later publicly distanced himself from cybercrime. On his personal website, he wrote that his experience had taught him that “knowledge is for building and protecting, not breaking.” Korper said he had thoroughly vetted Van der Stap before hiring him and had monitored his work. He said an external firm was investigating whether the employee had compromised Neo Security or its customers, but no evidence had so far been found showing that he had acted against the company or its clients. “I truly believe that people deserve a second chance, but in this case I was not thanked for it,” Korper said. FBI warns remaining ShinyHunters members FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest was carried out by the Dutch High-Tech Crime Unit in coordination with FBI investigators. “This morning @FBI and our partners the Dutch National Police are announcing the arrest of one of the alleged leaders of ShinyHunters, a global cybercrime and threat actor group linked to cyberattacks in the United States, the Netherlands, and around the world,” Patel wrote on X. He said FBI teams were continuing to work with international and industry partners to develop further leads from the investigation. The FBI's Cyber Division also issued a direct warning to members of the group. Also read | ‘Grading each other’s homework’: Trump's pact lets tech giants self-police AI even as rogue-agent incidents continue to mount ‘We know how to find you’ Brett Leatherman, assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Division, told remaining ShinyHunters members that investigators were confident the arrest and seized infrastructure would provide further information about the network. “Other groups believed anonymity or their friends would protect them, and they were wrong,” Leatherman said. “Arrests have a way of changing who is willing to talk. And seized infrastructure has a way of showing us who's left.” He added: “The longer you stay in this, the more we learn about you. You know how to find us and we know how find you. I suggest you reach out first while the choice is still yours.” According to Leatherman, ShinyHunters and its alleged co-conspirators have breached more than 140 organisations since last year and obtained at least $70 million in extortion payments. He said the group often targeted third-party vendors and cloud platforms, stealing sensitive information and threatening to publish it unless victims paid. ShinyHunters denies connection ShinyHunters, in a statement cited by Reuters, denied that Van der Stap was associated with the group and criticised Dutch police. The group has previously been linked to large-scale data theft and extortion attacks. It also recently claimed responsibility for stealing sensitive personnel data from US FBI systems, although the extent of the alleged breach has remained under investigation. A source cited by Reuters said an internal FBI memo told employees the bureau was operating on the assumption that hackers may have obtained information relating to all FBI employees.

The FBI has arrested a 24-year-old Dutch man identified as an alleged ShinyHunters leader, days after the group claimed to have hacked the agency's employment website. The bureau has warned remaining members as investigators pursue further leads.

FBI strikes back at ShinyHunters after alleged hack, arrests leader in Netherlands, warns members: 'Your anonymity won't protect you'

A week after notorious cybercrime group ShinyHunters breached the FBI's defences, the federal agency is scrambling to protect its staff members. But what is at stake? The FBI fears the potential disclosure of sensitive personal data involving thousands of former and current employees, as well as those who applied for a job at this federal agency.&nbsp;Now, ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen two to three terabytes of data from the FBI's job portal in retaliation for its May advisory. Back then, the federal agency had outlined this cybercrime group's modus operandi and advised people not to respond to its demands.&nbsp;The hacked data reportedly includes names, addresses, phone numbers, work emails, Social Security numbers, birth dates and hire dates of current and former FBI personnel. Additionally, ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen medical data of employees, as well as their background check files.&nbsp;In an internal memo sent to its employees, the FBI acknowledged that the hackers had stolen their personal data. Declaring the hack a "cybersecurity incident", it decided to conduct virtual briefings in the weeks ahead. The FBI instructed its employees to report threats, avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, and set up voicemail accounts with AI-generated voices. This is not all.&nbsp;The FBI stressed that it is working round the clock to investigate this cyber incident and is in regular touch with anyone who may be impacted. The federal agency said, and I am quoting it, "FBI treats the security of its information and the safety of its workforce as top priorities."&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/gravitas/india-mulls-banning-social-media-accounts-for-minors-as-sc-steps-in-1790703799126">India mulls banning social media accounts for minors as SC steps in | Gravitas</a>&nbsp;Initially, ShinyHunters issued an ultimatum to the FBI to withdraw or change its advisory by Tuesday, failing which it would dump the data of FBI employees online. However, it has now backtracked on this demand.&nbsp;In a fresh statement, the cybercriminal group claimed that it won't release FBI data. It added that the hack and threat to the FBI was a marketing campaign to protect its business. ShinyHunters also asserted that it did not want to escalate the situation, as its goals had been accomplished.&nbsp;Meanwhile, it has now emerged that the Dutch police arrested a 24-year-old man, identified as Pepijn van der Stap, as part of its investigation into ShinyHunters, barely days before the FBI hacking incident.&nbsp;While he was convicted in 2023 for data theft and extortion, he subsequently denounced this path and started working as a cybersecurity professional. However, ShinyHunters has denied any association with this suspect.&nbsp;While the cybercrime group's future course of action remains to be seen, the possibility of it selling the data to other criminals or foreign governments cannot be discounted. The volume of information it possesses could be used to build elaborate dossiers on FBI agents and track them for years. Thus, security agents reckon that the hacking incident may have a huge impact on the operational ability of the FBI.

The hacked data reportedly includes names, addresses, phone numbers, work emails, Social Security numbers, birth dates and hire dates of current and former FBI personnel.

A week after notorious cybercrime group ShinyHunters breached the FBI's defences, the federal agency is scrambling to protect its staff members. But what is at stake? The FBI fears the potential disclosure of sensitive personal data involving thousands of former and current employees, as well as those who applied for a job at this federal agency. Now, ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen two to three terabytes of data from the FBI's job portal in retaliation for its May advisory. Back then, the federal agency had outlined this cybercrime group's modus operandi and advised people not to respond to its demands. The hacked data reportedly includes names, addresses, phone numbers, work emails, Social Security numbers, birth dates and hire dates of current and former FBI personnel. Additionally, ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen medical data of employees, as well as their background check files. In an internal memo sent to its employees, the FBI acknowledged that the hackers had stolen their personal data. Declaring the hack a "cybersecurity incident", it decided to conduct virtual briefings in the weeks ahead. The FBI instructed its employees to report threats, avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, and set up voicemail accounts with AI-generated voices. This is not all. The FBI stressed that it is working round the clock to investigate this cyber incident and is in regular touch with anyone who may be impacted. The federal agency said, and I am quoting it, "FBI treats the security of its information and the safety of its workforce as top priorities." Also read: India mulls banning social media accounts for minors as SC steps in | Gravitas Initially, ShinyHunters issued an ultimatum to the FBI to withdraw or change its advisory by Tuesday, failing which it would dump the data of FBI employees online. However, it has now backtracked on this demand. In a fresh statement, the cybercriminal group claimed that it won't release FBI data. It added that the hack and threat to the FBI was a marketing campaign to protect its business. ShinyHunters also asserted that it did not want to escalate the situation, as its goals had been accomplished. Meanwhile, it has now emerged that the Dutch police arrested a 24-year-old man, identified as Pepijn van der Stap, as part of its investigation into ShinyHunters, barely days before the FBI hacking incident. While he was convicted in 2023 for data theft and extortion, he subsequently denounced this path and started working as a cybersecurity professional. However, ShinyHunters has denied any association with this suspect. While the cybercrime group's future course of action remains to be seen, the possibility of it selling the data to other criminals or foreign governments cannot be discounted. The volume of information it possesses could be used to build elaborate dossiers on FBI agents and track them for years. Thus, security agents reckon that the hacking incident may have a huge impact on the operational ability of the FBI.

The hacked data reportedly includes names, addresses, phone numbers, work emails, Social Security numbers, birth dates and hire dates of current and former FBI personnel.

FBI scrambles to safeguard employees as hackers threaten to leak personal data | Gravitas

Cyber extortion group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility Wednesday for late 2025 attacks against Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, publishing on a darkweb leak site what they claimed were more than 2 million records stolen from the two Ivy League schools.


Voice Phishing Attack Hits Harvard Data; University Alumni Data Leaked

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