Hackers Hijack Los Angeles Freeway Sign to Promote Site Naming Iranian Dissidents

A digital traffic sign on one of Los Angeles’ busiest freeways was hacked to display the address of a website publishing the personal details and photographs of Iranian dissidents opposing the Islamic Republic.

The sign, located on Interstate 405 near “Persian Square” in Westwood, a hub for a large portion of the Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles, displayed the URL of a website named “Gorkan” (Grave Digger) on September 8, according to U.S. media reports.

The operators of the website claim their objective is to execute a “national campaign to identify and punish traitors to the homeland.” The site publishes the names, photos, and personal information of several anti-regime figures labeled as “traitors” or accused of supporting hostile actions against Iran.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) confirmed that an unauthorized message was displayed on the sign. According to Caltrans, project officials were alerted to the breach on September 15 and instructed the contractor to restore the sign to its normal state.

Caltrans stated that an investigation into the message and system access logs remains ongoing. It is not yet clear whether the cyber intrusion originated from within the United States or was conducted by foreign-based actors. The FBI has not confirmed whether it has launched an independent investigation into the incident.

While American media reports linked the “Gorkan” website to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), no official U.S. agency has formally attributed responsibility for the sign hack to the Islamic Republic or a specific affiliated group.

The incident coincides with warnings from U.S. security agencies regarding intensified Iranian cyber activity targeting overseas dissidents. The FBI previously warned that hackers affiliated with the Iranian government are actively targeting dissidents, civil activists, and journalists residing abroad.

Iranian state media had earlier announced the launch of a platform named “Alaj” (Remedy) aimed at identifying and tracking overseas opponents of the regime.

The operators of the “Alaj” platform referred to targeted individuals as “expatriate traitors,” claiming they would continuously monitor anyone identified as “anti-Iranian” or advocating for sanctions and military action. The platform solicited submissions from citizens, asking them to send the names and details of targets via its website, social media, and messaging platforms.

The “Alaj” platform went offline a few days after its launch, followed shortly by the launch of a similar website titled “Punishment Committee,” which was subsequently taken down as well.

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