CIA accuses Wikileaks of 'malicious intent' over CIA director's leaked emails

The CIA has accused Wikileaks of plundering with "malicious intent" after the media group published a batch of files from the personal email account of the CIA director, John Brennan.

CIA Director John Brennan Source: AAP

Wikileaks has published a cache of United States CIA Director John Brennan's e-mails after a high school student claims to have hacked into Brennan's private e-mail account and one belonging to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

Wikileaks has published e-mails from 2007 and 2008 under a series of subject headings such as "Torture" and "The Conundrum of Iran".

Brennan was working in the private sector during that period, Wikileaks stated on its site, and said that Brennan used his private account at that time for intelligence-related work.

'A crime'

"The hacking of the Brennan family account is a crime and the Brennan family is the victim," the CIA said in a statement, adding that no classified information had been released.

"The private electronic holdings of the Brennan family were plundered with malicious intent and are now being distributed across the web.

"This attack is something that could happen to anyone and should be condemned, not promoted."

Wikileaks began releasing U.S. diplomatic cables in 2010, and the organization founded by Julian Assange has gained notoriety for exposing the inner dealings of governments around the world.

FBI, Secret Service launch investigations

The FBI and the Secret Service are currently investigating reports of the hacking of Brennan's e-mail, CNN has reported, although no classified information had been accessed.

The New York Post reported on Monday that a high school student claimed to have hacked into Brennan's private AOL account and the Comcast account of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

The hacker told the Post Brennan's private account contained sensitive files including his 47-page application for top-secret security clearance.

The teenager said he accessed Johnson's account and also listened to his voicemails, the newspaper reported.

According to the Post, the hacker described himself as an American high school student who is not Muslim and was motivated by opposition to U.S. foreign policy and support for Palestine.

Reuters could not immediately verify the reports.