Photo: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted 17 Iranian nationals for orchestrating a cyber piracy campaign allegedly backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The DOJ accuses these hackers of targeting U.S. universities and companies, including HBO, over several years. The hackers, employed by the Iran-based Mabna Institute, attempted to extort HBO for $6 million in bitcoin after stealing the company's intellectual property.
According to a report by Cleary Enforcement Watch, nine of the 17 suspects were previously charged with illegally accessing computer systems at 144 U.S.-based universities. The Mabna Institute's campaign, which began in 2013, targeted hundreds of universities worldwide, as well as private companies and government entities, including the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The indictment highlights the ongoing threat of state-sponsored cybercrime, particularly the theft of intellectual property. The hackers used methods like spearphishing and password spraying to gain access to sensitive data. The Falcon Feeds blog notes that Iran's cyber operations are orchestrated by the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), leveraging a network of threat actors and front companies.
While the indicted individuals remain in Iran and are unlikely to be extradited, the exposure of their identities aims to deter future cybercrimes. The Cipher Brief reports that the DOJ's actions serve as a warning to other entities considering collaboration with the IRGC. The full disclosure of the hackers' identities makes it more difficult for them to travel freely outside Iran.