Canadian arrested by FBI in ShinyHunters hacking probe

This is a developing story.

A Canadian has been arrested by the FBI in connection with the ShinyHunters hacking group’s breach of the bureau’s jobs portal, the RCMP said, in a case that has stunned Canada’s cybersecurity community.

RCMP spokesperson Ian Lordon said Oct. 9 that the force “is aware of the arrest of a Canadian in the U.S. in connection with the ShinyHunters hack,” and referred all other questions to the FBI, The Canadian Press reported. “The RCMP does not comment on investigations being conducted by other countries,” Lordon said.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the same day that agents had arrested another suspected co-conspirator in the attack on FBIjobs.gov, which he said occurred on a platform run by a third-party vendor. “This is the latest arrest this FBI has made in a matter of days involving this network,” Patel said. The FBI did not name the person or give further details.

Reuters, citing federal court documents, reported that a Canadian ransomware negotiator was arrested Oct. 8 in the Philadelphia area. Records filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania list two charges, conspiracy to threaten the confidentiality of information to extort money and interference with commerce, Reuters and Fox Business reported. A related case in the Eastern District of Texas is sealed, and the man was ordered held pending a detention hearing there.

U.S. authorities have not publicly confirmed that the court case is the arrest Patel announced. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Canada News Media is not naming the man because police and prosecutors have not identified him and the charges have not been tested in court.

Ransomware negotiators are hired by companies hit by cyberattacks to deal with the criminals who lock or steal their data. CBC News reported shock and surprise among Canadian cybersecurity experts after the arrest.

ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach and said it obtained sensitive and personal data on nearly all FBI employees. An FBI advisory in May described the group as a cyber criminal group specializing in large-scale data breaches and extortion. Experts told The Canadian Press the hack has national security implications because it could expose agents and their families to extortion and harassment.

The arrest is the latest in a global FBI investigation of the group, which has included arrests in other countries in recent weeks.

Sources: The Canadian Press, CBC News, Fox Business, citing Reuters.

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