A core member of hacker group ShinyHunters who claimed to have stolen data on
all FBI employees was detained in Jordan on Tuesday, three people familiar with
the matter said. Two of the sources said he is cooperating with the FBI to
identify accomplices. ShinyHunters is a prolific extortion group that targets
global companies and is reported to be composed largely of English‑speaking
young hackers focused on data theft and extortion. Media analysis of data
samples shared by the group found large volumes of FBI employees’ personally
identifiable information, sensitive job details and mental‑health and medical
records. The detainee has provided investigators with electronic devices and
digital communications to help the FBI locate co‑conspirators; his cooperation
could be crucial to containing or assessing the damage, sources said.
