Now There's Irony: Hacked FBI Agent The Posterboy For Hacker Collaboration

The FBI agent whose hacked laptop gave up a 12m-strong database of Apple device user details was the star of a promo encouraging hackers to get involved with the agency, it's been revealed in an ironic twist to the tale. Special Agent Christopher K. Stangl was featured in a 2009 recruitment video titled "Wanted by the FBI: Cyber Security Experts," in which he called on those "with computer science backgrounds" to get involved with the federal agency.

"Hello. My name is special agent Chris Stangl of the New York city field office of the FBI. Today more than ever we need individuals with computer science backgrounds to join the FBI. From a special agent that investigates cyber crime or the computer scientist that is embedded in the cyber squad that analyzes malware" Chris Stangl, FBI

Unsurprisingly, Stangl's video on Facebook has seen renewed interest since AntiSec claimed it was the agent's Dell Vostro laptop from which it extracted the database. "No way this guy should be entrusted with the personal info of 12 million people" one comment on the social site reads.

According to AntiSec, a remote exploit performed on the agent's notebook granted access to select files saved to the desktop. Among those files was a database containing more than 12m records from iOS devices, including UDID identifiers, full names, phone numbers, postal addresses, and more.

Not all of the records had all of the data attached, and it's unclear where exactly the database was sourced. Some suggestions have included previously-seized developer servers snatched as part of FBI raids, though the filename used implied that the National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance was involved somehow.

The FBI – and Stangl himself – have declined to comment on the security breach.

[via Forbes]