FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest Friday, describing it as another step in the bureau’s efforts to combat cybercrime and protect sensitive government information.

“Our agents in the field have arrested another suspected co-conspirator of the ShinyHunters group,” Patel said in a statement.

He linked the suspect to the recent breach of FBIjobs.gov, a recruitment platform operated by a third-party contractor.

The cyberattack, first discovered in late September, reportedly allowed hackers to obtain thousands of personnel records belonging to FBI employees.

According to the bureau, the breach originated through vulnerabilities associated with the externally managed recruitment platform.

The ShinyHunters hacking group initially threatened to publish the compromised information, raising concerns about the privacy and security of affected employees.

However, the group later told reporters that it had withdrawn its threat to release the sensitive records.

Patel praised the arrest as evidence of the FBI’s determination to identify and apprehend individuals involved in cyberattacks.

“This arrest demonstrates the strength and reach of our efforts to protect Americans from cybercrime,” he said.

The latest development follows action taken earlier in the week against the contractor responsible for managing the affected platform.

On Monday, the FBI announced that it had removed the contracting company it identified as primarily responsible for the security failures that enabled the breach.

A senior FBI cybersecurity official confirmed the decision, citing the contractor’s role in the incident that exposed employee information to cybercriminals.

The breach has renewed concerns about cybersecurity risks associated with third-party vendors that manage sensitive information for federal agencies.

Although the FBI has confirmed the arrest of another suspected conspirator, authorities have not disclosed the individual’s identity or provided details about potential criminal charges.

Investigators have also not publicly confirmed whether all the compromised employee records have been recovered or whether copies remain in the possession of unauthorized individuals.

The investigation remains ongoing as federal authorities work to determine the full extent of the breach and identify others who may have participated in the cyberattack.