An Iran-linked hacker group has claimed to breach FBI drones and warned of threats to the World Cup, which began this week, according to a monitoring group.
The SITE Intelligence Group, a monitor of jihadist organizations, published a statement from Handala asserting they had accessed ‘for months’ all imagery and suspect data captured by FBI first-person view (FPV) drones.
The group stated that the drones were equipped with facial recognition and license plate screening capabilities for counterterrorism purposes.
Handala warned in the statement, ‘Tighten your World Cup security; we oppose certain teams. FPVs are ubiquitous and could appear at any time, even near a team’s bus.’
The FBI has deployed drones around World Cup venues to mitigate risks from unauthorized aircraft.
Drone flights are prohibited over US stadiums hosting matches and related fan events, as the tournament launched its largest edition on Thursday.
Law enforcement agencies received training on countering unauthorized drone activity as part of a $500 million federal grant aimed at addressing the growing threat to sporting events.
The Justice Department has cautioned about potential cyberattacks by Iranian actors following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February, which triggered the Middle East conflict.
The U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of the group’s members.
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