WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) — Federal investigators are looking into the possibility that the personal email accounts of both the CIA director and Homeland Security chief were hacked by a teenager, news reports said Monday.
Two U.S. officials confirmed the inquiry to USA Today, but did not wish to be identified because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, the newspaper said. Both said, also, that no classified data was stored on the email account.
The anonymous teenage hacker told the New York Post that he obtained several CIA-related documents on director John Brennan‘s AOL email account — including his 47-page application for U.S. government security clearance and sensitive data for multiple other intelligence officials.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service are now reportedly looking into the matter, and criminal charges against the hacker are possible.
“We are aware of the reports that have surfaced on social media and have referred the matter to the appropriate authorities,” CIA spokesman Dean Boyd said.
In addition to Brennan’s account, the hacker claimed he also gained access to the non-government account of Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson — in which he even claimed to have listened to the secretary’s voicemails.
“I think they’ll want to make an example out of him to deter people from doing this in the future,” a source told the Post. “I can’t believe he did this to the head of the CIA.”
The hacker contacted the Post and made the claims last week, telling the outlet that he was motivated by his opposition to U.S. foreign policy and his support for Palestine.
