17 Iranians Charged in Cyber Theft Campaign Targeting U.S. Institutions

The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed a superseding indictment against 17 Iranian nationals linked to the Mabna Institute, alleging a coordinated cyber theft campaign on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The hackers targeted 144 U.S.-based universities, 42 private sector companies, and five federal and state government agencies, stealing over 31 terabytes of academic data and intellectual property. The indictment expands on a previous case from 2018, which initially charged nine of the defendants. The hackers utilized methods such as spear phishing and password spraying to access email accounts, successfully breaching approximately 8,000 professor accounts. The campaign, which began in 2013, has significant implications for U.S. national security and economic interests. The DOJ is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture of several defendants. The ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict adds urgency to these charges.

Key Points: • 17 Iranian nationals charged for cyber theft linked to the Mabna Institute. • Over 31 terabytes of data stolen from U.S. universities and government agencies. • The campaign utilized spear phishing and password spraying techniques.