DOJ Unseals Charges Against Individuals for Hacking Campaigns Linked to Iran
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has revealed new charges against 17 individuals accused of collaborating with an Iranian company involved in hacking and data theft targeting U.S. universities, companies, and government entities. This announcement came on Tuesday.
According to the DOJ’s statement, these individuals worked with the Mabna Institute, which is reported to have orchestrated hacking efforts at the behest of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and various Iranian governmental and educational agencies.
Their cyber campaigns, which persisted from 2013 to 2017, aimed at a wide range of targets—hundreds of universities and dozens of companies in the U.S., in addition to at least five state and federal government agencies. The impact was notable; out of over 100,000 targeted accounts, the hackers succeeded in compromising approximately 8,000 professors’ emails across 322 universities globally, including 144 based in the United States.
To aid in tracking down key suspects, the U.S. State Department has announced a reward of $10 million.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, stated, “The superseding indictment alleges that, at the behest of entities including the IRGC, these defendants hacked into universities and other research institutions worldwide, including the United States, stealing at least 31 terabytes of information and intellectual property of untold value. The National Security Division is committed to protecting the United States from such predators and will pursue those who perpetrate such crimes for as long as it takes to bring them to justice.”
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald remarked that the inclusion of eight new defendants underscores a significant, government-sponsored endeavor aimed at pilfering essential research from American universities, businesses, and government departments.
He pointed out that federal authorities remain vigilant against foreign cyber threats, stressing that such operations pose risks to both national security and economic stability, noting the ongoing nature of these efforts even after several years.
