FBI Director Kash Patel issued a direct warning to anyone who attacks law enforcement, vowing Saturday that those who “touch a cop” will be tracked down and arrested amid growing concerns over violence against officers.

The comments came while Patel was speaking on SiriusXM Patriot’s “Breitbart News Saturday,” discussing violence against federal officers.

“You have to back the blue,” Patel said. “I say the following to as many officers and Americans that I get in front of: If you touch a cop, we’re going to put you down. And that’s what we’re doing.”

He said the FBI is “going to back our partners,” noting that any criminal who assaults or impedes law enforcement is “going to face the full force of law enforcement.”

FBI Director Kash Patel had a stern warning for anyone who wishes to harm law enforcement professionals. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, File)

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“We’re not saying that you can’t go out there and peacefully protest,” Patel said. “We are simply saying, … you cannot interfere with [an officer in their] lawful execution of [their] lawful duty.

Since the start of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown, the Department of Homeland Security has reported violence against federal agents spiked to a record high.

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The director added police around the country are “so empowered by the fact that we are backing the blue, that they know they have that backing.”

“They also know that if they are physically harmed, they’re just not going to have some perp get away with it,” he said. “We’re going to go find them and we’re going to arrest them.”

Patel’s stance on the issue has remained consistent throughout his time serving in the administration; In June, he posted a similar statement on social media.

Patel said his agency will always “back the blue.” (Stephanie Tacy/NurPhoto via Getty Images, File)

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“Hit a cop, you’re going to jail… doesn’t matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you,” Patel wrote in a June 7 X post. “If the local police force won’t back our men and women on the thin blue line, we @FBI will.”

The FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The Department of Homeland Security revealed that a suspect who fled to China after allegedly planting a deadly explosive device at an important military base is the child of two Chinese illegal immigrants.  

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Chinese nationals Qiu Qin Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng, both of whom were living in the U.S. illegally, Homeland Security said. Their arrests came following two of their adult children, Ann Mary Zheng and Alen Zheng, being connected to a failed plot to detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida in mid-March. 

The base, located in Florida, is home to U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, and Special Operations Command, which oversees all special operations forces across the Department of War.

The alleged perpetrators of the attempt were born in the U.S. after their parents illegally entered the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

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The agency asserted the case “illustrates why the improper recognition of ‘birthright citizenship’ for children of illegal aliens is not only inconsistent with the Constitution, but endangers all Americans.”

Jia Zhang Zheng (left) and Qiu Qin Zou (right) are Chinese illegal aliens whose adult children were allegedly behind an attempted bombing at MacDill Air Force Base. (Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images; DHS)

Birthright citizenship refers to the principle that anyone born on U.S. soil is automatically granted U.S. citizenship. 

The FBI said Alen Zheng, who is believed to have planted the improvised explosive device at MacDill Air Force Base on March 10, is currently in China. He is facing charges of attempted damage to government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device and possession of an unregistered destructive device, which carry a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

FBI Tampa arrested Ann Mary Zheng March 17 following her return to the U.S. from China, where she had fled with her brother. She has been charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence, facing up to 30 years in prison. 

She is accused of hiding or damaging a 2010 Mercedes-Benz to prevent its use in legal proceedings, court documents show. 

Prosecutors allege that the siblings attempted to cover their tracks by selling the vehicle to car dealer CarMax. Despite being vacuumed and cleaned, investigators later discovered trace explosive residue inside the vehicle.

The day after Ann Mary Zheng’s arrest, ICE apprehended both parents, Qiu Qin Zou and Jia Zhang Zheng. They are currently in ICE custody, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

Both parents applied for asylum in the U.S. but were denied and ordered removed by an immigration judge in 1998, according to the agency. 

The Department of Homeland Security said the Bureau of Immigration Appeals denied multiple attempts by the parents to have their case reopened. Despite this, both remained living in the U.S. illegally for nearly three decades.

The department is positing that this case highlights the “grave danger” of current U.S. law granting automatic citizenship to anyone born on American soil, including the children of illegal immigrants.

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Anne Mary Zheng is charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence, facing up to 30 years in prison.  (DHS)

Following the parents’ arrests, Acting Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said that “automatically granting citizenship to children of illegal aliens born in the U.S. … poses a major national security risk.”

“That reality became apparent last week when two U.S.-born children of Chinese illegal aliens were indicted for planting a potentially deadly explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Florida,” said Bis, who added that, “This incident underscores the severe national security threat that illegal immigration and birthright citizenship pose to the United States.”

Bis also asserted that the policy of granting automatic birthright citizenship “is based on a historically inaccurate interpretation of the Citizenship Clause” of the 14th Amendment.

The Supreme Court is currently weighing the constitutionality of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that would end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants. Trump signed the order on his first day back in the Oval Office in 2025. 

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Police officers with the Tampa Police Department block traffic along South Dale Mabry Highway near the main entrance of MacDill Air Force Base, which houses CENTCOM headquarters, after a suspicious package was reported at the gate in Tampa, Florida, on March 16, 2026.  (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

The court held oral arguments on the case this Wednesday, with justices appearing skeptical of Trump’s order.

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Amy Swearer, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, described the court’s line of questioning as “disappointing” for proponents of Trump’s stance on birthright citizenship.

“Most people understood coming into this, and I suspect even the government understood coming into this, that this was probably going to be a bit of an uphill battle,” Swearer said.

Despite this, Swearer said, “I do think there’s a path forward” for a Trump victory, though it would likely be narrow and partial.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi as his attorney general after she desperately pleaded for her job in a late-night White House showdown.

Bondi becomes the second cabinet casualty in less than a month – brought down by months of MAGA fury over her botched handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, a saga that has dogged Trump’s Justice Department since Day One.

Trump praised Bondi as a ‘great American patriot and a loyal friend’ in a Truth Social post, hailing the ‘tremendous job’ she did in bringing down the murder rate.

‘We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future,’ Trump wrote. 

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general until a permanent nominee is picked. Bondi is out of the administration and is expected to transition into the private sector. 

Trump informed the AG last night shortly before his Iran speech that she would soon be leaving the Justice Department, according to a senior administration source.

Bondi, 60, pleaded with the President to keep her job, begging him to give her more time, a senior administration source told the Daily Mail.

‘She was unhappy and tried to change his mind,’ the source said. 

Donald Trump, accompanied by newly sworn-in U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks to member of the media in the Oval Office at the White House on February 5, 2025 

LAST NIGHT: Trump informed the AG last night shortly before his Iran speech that she would soon be leaving the Justice Department, according to a senior administration source. Bondi, 60, pleaded with the President to keep her job, begging him to give her more time, a senior administration source told the Daily Mail

Bondi remained at the White House during Trump’s speech before flying to her home in Florida on Thursday. 

Trump’s reasoning for the sudden dismissal comes in part because the President believes Bondi tipped off Eric Swalwell about the FBI’s efforts to release investigative documents related to his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy.

The FBI was preparing a cache of documents on Swalwell’s relationship with Christine Fang.

‘She’s intervening in those matters. The White House wasn’t pleased she was intervening due to her personal friendship with Swalwell,’ the source added.

It is unclear why Bondi would have intervened, but it is believed that Bondi and Swalwell have a friendly relationship.

Swalwell, a fellow lawyer, has openly criticized her since she took the AG position after failing to prosecute multiple death threats against him and his family.

Swalwell is one of the leading candidate for the California gubernatorial race as a Democrat.

Bondi traveled with Trump on Wednesday to the Supreme Court to watch proceedings for the birthright citizenship case and attended his primetime speech about the war in Iran.

Donald Trump and Pam Bondi at Mar-a-Lago in March 2016. Bondi, Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, first attached herself to Trump during the 2016 campaign, using her prosecutorial credentials to defend him on national TV 

Donald Trump speaks before Pam Bondi is sworn in as US Attorney General as her partner John Wakefield and her mother Patsy Bondi look on in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 5

Bondi’s tenure was marred by her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, as the administration faced accusations of a lack of transparency

But as the President’s Cabinet gathered to focus on Iran, rumors ricocheted through Washington about Bondi’s replacement.

She’s taken a lower media profile in recent weeks as the President privately excoriates her for failing to prosecute his political enemies who tried to throw him in jail and end his political career.

Bondi’s tenure was marred by her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, as the administration faced accusations of a lack of transparency.

Reports have circulated that he is considering tapping MAGA-aligned EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin as her replacement.

‘Let’s hope it’s Zeldin,’ one former Trump administration official told the Daily Mail.

Deputy Attorney General Blanche has also been raising his profile – appearing at CPAC last week, where he received a warm welcome from conservatives.

He told the audience that he went to night school in Brooklyn – rather than an Ivy League – as he was a young father. 

Following Trump’s announcement, Blanche said in a statement: ‘Pam Bondi led this Department with strength and conviction and I’m grateful for her leadership and friendship.

‘Thank you to President Trump for the trust and the opportunity to serve as Acting Attorney General. We will continue backing the blue, enforcing the law, and doing everything in our power to keep America safe.’ 

Trump said that Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general until a permanent nominee is picked

Trump’s reasoning for the sudden dismissal comes in part because the President believes Bondi tipped off Eric Swalwell about the FBI ‘s efforts to release investigative documents related to his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy

Bondi, Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, first attached herself to Trump during the 2016 campaign, using her prosecutorial credentials to defend him on national TV.

Trump’s foundation donated $25,000 to her reelection campaign in 2014.

She went on to speak at the 2016 Republican convention and joined his impeachment defense team in 2020, cementing her place in the loyalist inner circle. 

Your personal data could be collected and stored overseas — even if you never download a foreign-developed app yourself — according to a new FBI alert warning about the risks tied to popular mobile platforms.

That means information like your name, email address or phone number could be pulled from someone else’s contact list and potentially stored abroad if a friend or family member grants an app access to their device.

The warning comes after years of scrutiny over TikTok’s ties to China, but the FBI alert suggests the concerns extend beyond any single platform to a broader range of foreign-developed apps.

In a public service announcement, the FBI said many widely used apps developed overseas, particularly those tied to China, may access extensive data once permissions are granted, including address books containing information on both users and non-users.

Your personal data could be collected and stored overseas — even if you never download a foreign-developed app yourself — according to a new FBI alert warning about the risks tied to popular mobile platforms. (akub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

5 SIMPLE TECH TIPS TO IMPROVE DIGITAL PRIVACY

The bureau also warned that some apps may continue collecting data in the background after access is granted and, in certain cases, store that information on servers in countries where local laws could allow government access.

“Developer companies can store collected data on users’ private information and address books, such as names, e-mail addresses, user IDs, physical addresses, and phone numbers of their stored contacts,” the FBI said.

“The app can persistently collect data and users’ private information throughout the device, not just within the app or while the app is active.”

CHINESE HACKERS REPORTEDLY BREACHED PHONES AT ‘HEART OF DOWNING STREET’ IN GLOBAL SPY CAMPAIGN

The FBI did not name specific companies, but the warning could apply to a range of widely used apps developed by Chinese firms — including video-editing platform CapCut, shopping apps like Temu and SHEIN, and social media platforms such as Lemon8 — several of which rank among the most downloaded apps in the United States.

U.S. officials have long warned that data collected by Chinese-linked platforms could be used to build detailed profiles of Americans, map personal and professional networks, and potentially support intelligence-gathering efforts, particularly if accessed under China’s national security laws.

The FBI added that apps operating in China are subject to the country’s national security laws, which could allow the government to access user data.

U.S. officials have long warned that data collected by Chinese-linked platforms could be used to build detailed profiles of Americans, map personal and professional networks, and potentially support intelligence-gathering efforts, particularly if accessed under China’s national security laws. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

The FBI also pointed to possible warning signs that an app may be collecting more data than expected, including unusual battery drain, spikes in data usage, or unauthorized account activity after installation — indicators that could suggest background data collection or other suspicious behavior.

The bureau urged users to limit unnecessary data sharing, download apps only from official app stores, and regularly review permissions granted to mobile platforms. The bureau also warned that apps obtained from third-party sites may carry malware designed to gain unauthorized access to personal data.

Years of scrutiny over TikTok, culminated in a 2026 deal that forced its Chinese parent company to relinquish control of U.S. operations to an American-led group in order to address fears over data access and national security.

The FBI also pointed to possible warning signs that an app may be collecting more data than expected, including unusual battery drain, spikes in data usage, or unauthorized account activity after installation — indicators that could suggest background data collection or other suspicious behavior. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

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The FBI’s latest warning suggests those risks may extend beyond a single platform to a broader range of foreign-developed apps used by millions of Americans.

The Chinese embassy could not immediately be reached for comment. 

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., said an alleged Iranian state actor recently targeted him with a phishing scheme disguised as a television interview request, in what he described as an apparent effort to access his personal email account.

“A skilled impersonator created something appearing just like Newsmax to attempt to do an interview with me,” Fine told Fox News Digital in an interview, explaining that his staffer began interacting with the message in email, as the office normally does, before realizing “the links didn’t work.” 

The phishing scheme was allegedly designed to gain access to his personal Google account, Fine explained. 

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Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The incident comes after President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran in February, sparking an ongoing battle that the president has said will end in a matter of weeks as tensions continue flaring. The Trump administration argued Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities posed an urgent threat ahead of the U.S. and Israel launching joint strikes. 

Fine said he did not “think the timing was coincidental” and that the alleged cyberattack occurred “literally the day after combat operations began.” The episode underscores heightened concern among U.S. intelligence officials about potential cyber and physical threats tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict, particularly against high-profile political figures.

The FBI confirmed earlier in March that an Iran-linked hacker group known as the “Handala Hack Team” breached Director Kash Patel’s personal email account. A bureau spokesperson said in a statement at the time that while the compromised information was “historical in nature” and contained no government data, the FBI had taken all “necessary steps to mitigate potential risks.”

According to Fine, he learned about the alleged cyberattack aimed at him when U.S. Capitol Police contacted him and said the outreach likely originated from an Iranian state actor.

Fox News Digital reviewed a copy of the correspondence, showing its email was spelled “news-max.org.” 

Correspondence to Fine, also reviewed by Fox News Digital, confirmed that USCP said they had information that the outreach to Fine’s office could have originated from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and that the police wanted to set up a call with the FBI Cyber Task Force to further examine the matter.

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FBI Director Kash Patel listens during the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

“They proactively reached out to us,” Fine said, adding that he then reported the incident to the FBI and was told by the bureau that agents were “familiar with these actors in Iran.”

The FBI declined to comment. A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that when the incident happened, the FBI was able to connect with Fine and opened an investigation into the matter. The status of the probe is publicly unknown.

Fine emphasized that he felt targeted by Iran and noted a broader surge in threats against him, including verbal threats and what he said was a recent separate incident of an impersonator approaching his home.

“I was clearly targeted. It wasn’t random,” Fine said, asserting that he was “the most visible Jewish Republican politician in America.”

A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran. (AFP/Via Getty Images)

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Fine said that while he does not believe the alleged attackers could have gathered much information from his Google account based on his limited use of it, “the worst-case scenario is … they might be able to track my actual location,” which he said made him fear for his life.

Fine described the incident as “very stressful.”

Fine, a self-described “Hebrew Hammer” known for his staunchly pro-Israel positions, has advocated aggressive military action in Gaza and praised Trump’s joint offensives with Israel in Iran.

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Fine, in a statement shortly after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, characterized the mission as one rooted in saving western civilization.

“We are with you, Mr. President. We will cut off the head of the snake of Muslim terror, Bring lasting peace to the Middle East, And save the Iranian People. Bombs away,” Fine said. “The Muslim terrorists that run Iran have just indiscriminately fired rockets not just at the Jews of Israel, but 700,000 Americans who live there, 180,000 Christians who live there, at the ‘Dome of the Rock,’ the third holiest site in Islam, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, site of Jesus’s crucification. We are fighting back against this evil.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsmax, Google and USCP on Tuesday for any additional comment.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is threatening legal action against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as it reportedly considers releasing potentially damaging files just weeks before he faces voters in California’s wide-open gubernatorial race.

Lawyers for Swalwell sent a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, warning the bureau would violate federal privacy law if it moves ahead with releasing records regarding the congressman’s decade-old relationship with a suspected Chinese spy named Christine “Fang Fang” Fang. 

“[Y]our attempt to release the file is a transparent attempt to smear him and undermine his campaign for Governor of California,” Swalwell’s attorneys, Sean Hecker and Norm Eisen, said in a recent letter to Patel obtained by The Associated Press. “Your actions threaten to expose you, others at the FBI, and the FBI itself to significant legal liability. Indeed, disclosure of the investigative file would violate federal law in several respects.”

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FBI Director Kash Patel is reportedly weighing the release of files related to Rep. Eric Swalwell’s decade-old relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence operative, Christine “Fang Fang” Fang. (WJZY)

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The letter comes as The Washington Post first reported that Patel is weighing the release of investigative records related to Swalwell’s past relationship with Fang, who is accused of cultivating ties with Swalwell and other California Democrats for espionage purposes. 

The suspected Chinese spy operative helped fundraise for Swalwell’s 2014 House re-election campaign and placed at least one intern in his office. Swalwell cut off ties with Fang in 2015 after the FBI alerted him to the suspected Chinese influence campaign.

The Justice Department did not pursue criminal charges at the time and Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing. A probe launched by the House Ethics Committee also concluded in 2023 without accusing Swalwell of any violations.

Lawyers for Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., have threatened the FBI with legal action if the bureau forges ahead with releasing decades-old files relating to his relationship with a suspected Chinese spy.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

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Swalwell’s lawyers also accused Patel of potentially violating long-maintained DOJ policy that prohibits law enforcement from taking any public investigatory action against political candidates in the two months prior to an election. 

Early voting for California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary begins in early May. Swalwell is vying to be among the top two vote-getters that advance to the general election after jumping into the race in late 2025.

“It’s not lost on me that we’re 34 days until Californians start voting,” Swalwell told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Monday. “We’ve consistently been in the lead in this governor’s race. And the president wants a Western White House.”

Swalwell is a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and served as an impeachment manager during the president’s second impeachment in 2021, following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The California Democrat has also been criminally referred to the DOJ for alleged mortgage fraud.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with Fang and was never criminally charged. (Getty Images)

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Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has also blasted Patel for reportedly advocating for the release of the so-called “Fang Fang” files. 

“What the hell does that have to do with law enforcement?” Raskin said Saturday. “This is plain weaponization of the FBI for partisan political purposes.”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth. If someone can break into the personal email of the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, your inbox is not off limits.

Malicious actors targeted the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel, according to the FBI, and a group known as the Handala Hack Team in Iran has claimed responsibility for posting photos and documents online.

No classified systems were breached. But that is not the point. The real story is this: the front lines of cyber warfare now run straight through personal accounts like yours.

FBI SAYS ‘MALICIOUS ACTORS’ TARGETED PATEL’S PERSONAL EMAIL, IRAN-BASED HACKING GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

Hackers didn’t breach FBI systems; they accessed a personal email account, showing how everyday accounts can become targets. (Donato Fasano/Getty Images)

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What happened in the FBI director’s email hack

Hackers gained access to FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email account, not any official FBI systems. The stolen material included photos, travel details and older messages that spanned more than a decade, with emails dating from around 2011 through 2022.

The FBI said “malicious actors” targeted Patel’s personal email account but did not attribute the attack to a specific country. A group known as the Handala Hack Team, which operates out of Iran, has claimed responsibility for the breach.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says no government or classified data was compromised. The U.S. State Department is offering up to a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification of members of the Handala Hack Team. CyberGuy reached out to the FBI for comment, but did not receive a response before our deadline.

A cybersecurity expert described the exposed material as a “personal junk drawer.” That detail is what makes this incident hit close to home. Most people have one too.

The threat is real and it is getting more sophisticated

This does not appear to be random. U.S. officials have warned for years that foreign government-linked hackers, including groups associated with Iran, have targeted Americans, especially those connected to government or politics. These campaigns often ramp up during periods of geopolitical tension. Similar actors have previously targeted individuals tied to the Trump administration, including:

• Donald Trump Jr.
• Todd Blanche
• Lindsey Halligan

These groups also hit private companies. In one recent case, hackers claimed responsibility for disrupting operations at a U.S. medical device company and spreading propaganda tied to geopolitical events. This is coordinated. It is persistent. And it is not slowing down.

Why your everyday tech is now part of the battlefield

Cyber warfare used to target government systems. Now it targets you. Why? Because personal accounts are easier to break into. They are often protected by reused passwords, old emails and weak security habits.

Once hackers get in, they can:

• Map out your life through old messages
• Steal personal photos or financial details
• Impersonate you in scams
• Use your contacts to spread attacks

FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In simple terms, your digital life can be used against you or someone you know. 

IF SOMEONE GETS INTO YOUR EMAIL, THEY OWN EVERY ACCOUNT YOU HAVE. THESE 3 MOVES LOCK THEM OUT FOR GOOD

What you need to do right now to lock down your tech

I know it can sound intimidating, but it really comes down to this. You don’t need special skills, just a few smarter habits starting today.

1) Turn on two-factor authentication everywhere

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the strongest defenses you have. Even if someone steals your password, they cannot get in without the second code. Focus on your email first. That is the master key to everything else.

2) Stop reusing passwords

If you reuse one password across accounts, one breach can unlock your entire digital life. Use a password manager and create unique passwords for each account. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com

3) Clean out your “digital junk drawer”

Remember that phrase from the FBI case? Old emails, documents and attachments can expose years of your life. Go back and delete anything you no longer need, especially files that contain personal, financial or travel details. For anything important, move it to a secure location instead of leaving it sitting in your inbox. You can also check out CyberGuy’s 5 digital clean-up tips you didn’t know you needed to reduce long-term clutter and limit what attackers could access if your account is ever compromised.

4) Watch for highly targeted phishing

These attacks are getting more convincing. Hackers can use stolen data to craft emails that look personal and real. Always double-check links and sender addresses before clicking. Use strong antivirus software that can detect suspicious links, block malicious downloads and warn you before you interact with a dangerous site. Think of it as an extra layer of defense you do not have to think about. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

5) Consider using a data removal service

Even if you clean up your inbox, your personal information may already be circulating online through data broker sites. These companies collect and sell details like your address, phone number and even past activity. A data removal service can help automatically request the removal of your information from hundreds of these sites, reducing what hackers can find and use against you.

 6) Keep your devices updated Updates fix known security flaws. Delaying them gives attackers a window to exploit your device.

7) Separate your digital life

Use different email accounts for banking, shopping and personal communication. This limits the damage if one account is compromised. Consider using email aliases, which are alternate addresses that forward to your main inbox. For example, you can use one alias for online shopping and another for signups. If one alias gets exposed or starts receiving spam, you can disable it without affecting your primary email account. For recommendations on private and secure email providers that offer alias addresses, visit Cyberguy.com

Cyberattacks today often focus on personal data like emails and photos, which can be used to expose or manipulate victims. (Photo by Philip Dulian/picture alliance via Getty Images)

8) Use passkeys where available

Passkeys replace passwords with a secure login tied to your device or biometrics. They cannot be reused or phished, which makes them one of the safest ways to protect your accounts today.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The U.S. is facing capable cyber adversaries. Hacker groups have shown they can keep pushing, adapt quickly and target both institutions and individuals. At the same time, the most common entry point is still simple. A weak password. An old email account. A moment of inattention. That means the first line of defense is not just government agencies. It is you.

What’s one thing you’ve done or haven’t done to protect your accounts that still worries you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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An FBI spokesperson told Fox News the agency is aware of “malicious actors” targeting FBI Director Patel’s personal email information and has taken “all necessary steps to mitigate potential risks.”

The FBI noted the information in question is “historical in nature” and does not involve government information.

The Handala Hack Team, an Iran-linked hacking group, has claimed responsibility.

The State Department’s “Rewards for Justice” program is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification of the Handala Hack Team — a group that has frequently targeted U.S. government officials. 

“Consistent with President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America, the FBI will continue to pursue the actors responsible, support victims, and share actionable intelligence in defense of networks,” the FBI spokesperson said. “We encourage anyone who experiences a cyber breach, or has information related to malicious cyber activity, to contact their local FBI field office.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

A Brampton, Ont., man may spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking up to US$17 million worth of meth and cocaine into Canada.

The FBI in Los Angeles says 62-year-old Guramrit Sidhu pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.

He now faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The FBI said in a news release Thursday that Sidhu was the lead defendant in a 23-count January 2024 federal indictment targeting a drug trafficking organization. He has been in federal custody since October 2024 after being extradited from Canada.

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According to his plea agreement, between September 2020 and February 2023, he led an organization responsible for trafficking drugs into Canada from the U.S.

From Sept. 13, 2022, to Oct.24, 2022, Sidhu orchestrated the distribution of eight separate drug loads, totalling approximately 523 kilograms of methamphetamine and 347 kilograms of cocaine.

Authorities seized those loads, and estimated a wholesale value of approximately US$15 to US$17 million.

“After buying the bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine in the U.S., Sidhu arranged for the narcotics’ transportation into Canada via long-haul semi-trucks for further distribution,” the FBI said.

“Sidhu provided telephone numbers and serial numbers on bills of currency for couriers to use as a ‘token’ for identification purposes during the delivery and transportation of the cocaine and methamphetamine.”

Sidhu and co-conspirators then retrieved the drugs from locations within Canada for further distribution, the FBI added.

He is the seventh defendant to plead guilty in the case. The others who pleaded guilty have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 27 months to 108 months, the FBI said.

Sidhu’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 9.

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It’s a grave situation.

A disturbed serial grave robber in Texas filmed himself throwing human remains over the fence at an FBI field office and then posted the video on YouTube, cops said.

Michael Chadwick Fry, 41, of Bartonville, Texas, said he was throwing the bucket of human bones to “summon” federal agents after stealing the remains from a mausoleum, according to the Bartonville Police Department.

He now faces two counts of abuse of a corpse and one count of tampering with evidence with intent to impair a human corpse, according to police.

Fry’s mother called police Monday after he went to her house and requested money for a U-Haul because he “had a body that needed to moved,” authorities said. He “became irate” at her over the phone call, leaving before cops arrived, according to an arrest warrant obtained by KDFW.

“Shortly thereafter, investigators received credible information from FBI Special Agents indicating that Fry had thrown a bucket containing human bones over the fence of the FBI Dallas Field Office,” according to the arrest warrant.

He shared evidence of his alleged crime by filming a video titled, “We send Elizabeth over the FBI fence to summon them by force” and posting it on YouTube, officials said.

In the video, Fry filmed himself speaking with a person behind a window outside the FBI office to seek a “status check” on an investigation about “what happened to me and my dead family and friends.”

After returning to his car, Fry is seen pulling a bucket containing the alleged remains out of the trunk and hurling them over a fence before driving off.

“There’s more videos coming. We’re going to take bones all over the place. I got more,” Fry said in the video as he drove away.

Fry allegedly stole an urn from a cemetery in Oklahoma City in February and raided a separate mausoleum in Denton, Texas, according to police.

He also searched for three cemeteries in Texas and Oklahoma on the GPS in his mother’s car.

He referred to the remains in the bucket as “Elizabeth Virginia Lyon,” according to the affidavit.

Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to identify the bones.

Fry has a lengthy rap sheet, according to the police.

In 2018, he drove his car into the KDFW studios in downtown Dallas, leaving behind a bright orange duffel bag that prompted a bomb squad response.

He was reportedly upset that cops had shot his friend.

Fry is currently in the Denton County Jail on $30,000 bond.