Edith Hejberg
In a statement, the bureau said the incident was isolated and that access was quickly restricted once the breach was detected.
A foreign hacker reportedly accessed files tied to the FBI’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a cyber incident at the bureau’s New York field office in 2023.
The breach involved a server connected to the FBI’s child exploitation forensic lab. Details about the intrusion have only recently come to light through justice department documents and a source familiar with the matter.
The files connected to Epstein’s case are considered highly sensitive because of the people and allegations linked to them.
Breach described as a limited “cyber incident”
The FBI confirmed that a cyber intrusion occurred but characterized it as contained.
In a statement, the bureau said the incident was isolated and that access was quickly restricted once the breach was detected.
“The FBI restricted access to the malicious actor and rectified the network. The investigation remains ongoing, so we do not have further comments to provide at this time.”
Epstein files seen as valuable intelligence
Experts say documents related to Jeffrey Epstein could hold major intelligence value.
Over the years, the Epstein case has exposed connections to influential figures in politics, finance, academia, and business.
Those links have triggered investigations in several countries and heightened global interest in the records.
Experts warn foreign actors may seek kompromat
Some analysts believe intelligence agencies could view the files as a potential source of compromising information.
Jon Lindsay, a researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said the possibility should not surprise anyone.
“Who wouldn’t be going after the Epstein files if you’re the Russians or somebody interested in kompromat?” he said.
Intrusion first reported in early 2023
News of the breach was originally reported in February 2023 by CNN and Reuters.
However, the connection between the hack and Epstein-related files was first highlighted later by the French magazine Marianne.
Only recently have justice department documents shed more light on what investigators believe happened.
Epstein’s long shadow
Jeffrey Epstein was a financier who maintained relationships with numerous powerful individuals.
He pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges, including soliciting an underage girl.
In 2019, he was found dead in his jail cell after being arrested again on federal charges of sex trafficking minors. Authorities ruled his death a suicide.
A server left vulnerable
According to documents and a source familiar with the case, the breach began with a technical mistake.
An FBI special agent named Aaron Spivack was reportedly navigating complex procedures for handling digital evidence when a server was inadvertently left exposed.
The vulnerable system was located in the FBI’s New York field office forensic lab.
Hack occurred in February 2023
A timeline written by Spivack says the breach took place on 12 February 2023.
It was discovered the next day when he turned on his computer and found a text message warning that the network had been compromised.
The message alerted investigators that someone had already entered the system.
Unusual activity found on the server
After the warning appeared, investigators began examining the server.
The timeline states that officials discovered traces of unusual activity.
That activity “included combing through certain files pertaining to the Epstein investigation”.
What the hacker actually accessed remains unclear
Documents do not specify which Epstein-related files were opened or viewed.
Investigators also do not know whether any data was downloaded during the intrusion.
It is also unclear if the accessed material overlaps with the Epstein files released publicly earlier this year.
Agent disputes responsibility
During questioning, Spivack denied responsibility for the breach.
He told investigators he was being made “a scapegoat for the intrusion”.
According to his account, confusing internal rules and flawed technical guidance contributed to the situation.
Hacker reportedly contacted FBI staff
A source familiar with the incident said the hacker appeared to believe they had entered a criminal server rather than a law enforcement system.
The hacker reportedly expressed disgust at seeing child abuse material on the device and left a message threatening to report the owner to the FBI.
Officials then tried to convince the hacker that they were actually speaking to the FBI itself.
Unusual video call ended the confrontation
According to the source, bureau officials arranged a video chat with the hacker.
During the call, agents reportedly showed their law enforcement credentials to prove they were legitimate FBI staff.
Authorities still do not know who the hacker was, where they were located, or what they may have done with the material they accessed.
