17 Iranians Charged in Cyber Theft Campaign
The Department of Justice has brought charges against 17 individuals from Iran, alleging that they were involved in an extensive cyber theft operation targeting U.S. universities and government entities. According to reporter Alexandria Hoff, these hackers have been compromising networks to steal intellectual property since as far back as 2013.
On a related note, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced on Wednesday that it is looking into a cybersecurity incident involving a standalone system. Senior officials from the Justice Department labeled this a “major incident,” in line with federal standards.
This news emerged as the Qilin ransomware group stated that they had breached ATF. However, cybersecurity sources pointed out that the group hasn’t provided any concrete evidence to back up its claim, and the ATF has yet to confirm any connection to Qilin.
The ATF clarified that the system involved operates independently from its main network and emphasized that there are no signs that the incident has impacted the agency’s broader network or its eForms system.
Upon detecting the issue, the agency disconnected the affected environment and initiated forensic investigations and response measures. They are currently collaborating with the Justice Department to ascertain the details surrounding the incident.
Interestingly, Cybernews reported that Qilin claimed ATF as its latest target, but again, without providing supporting details. GalaxyWarden, a breach-monitoring service, noted that the ATF appeared on Qilin’s leak site, with claims from the group stating they had obtained files from the agency. Nonetheless, GalaxyWarden has not independently verified these assertions.
Fox News Digital reached out to ATF and the Justice Department for more insight, seeking clarity on whether they believe Qilin was behind the incident and if any data had been accessed or compromised.
The ATF informed that senior officials from the Justice Department classified this cybersecurity occurrence as a “major incident,” and all necessary notifications have been completed.
As of now, the incident has not hindered ATF operations or its ability to fulfill its responsibilities, according to the agency.
The ATF is urging anyone with information related to this incident to get in touch via their Tipline at 1-888-ATF-TIPS, or 1-888-283-8477.
