● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact2 neutral
Iranian National Accused of Hacking US Universities Extradited from Montenegro
Key points
- Amir Barati extradited from Montenegro to U.S.
- Accused of hacking 144 US universities, 42 US companies.
- Allegedly stole 31 terabytes of academic data.
- Operation linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- Amir Barati is a dual citizen of Turkey and Iran.
- Montenegrin authorities arrested Amir Barati on June 25.
- Amir Barati is 40 years old.
- Hacking activities caused over $3.4 billion in losses.
- US unsealed a 14-count superseding indictment in August.
- Indictment charged 17 members of Iran-based Mabna Institute.
- Hacked 178 universities abroad, 11 private companies abroad, five US government agencies, and at least two NGOs.
Extradition and Charges
Amir Barati, a 40-year-old citizen of Turkey and Iran, was extradited from Montenegro to the United States. He was arrested on June 25 by Montenegro’s Police Directorate following an FBI arrest warrant. Barati faces a 14-count indictment, alongside 16 others, for conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, wire fraud, computer fraud, and identity theft.
Scope of the Hacking Operation
U.S. prosecutors allege Barati was a key figure in an operation run through the Iranian company Mabna Institute on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This operation reportedly breached 144 American universities, 42 U.S. companies, 178 foreign universities, and at least 11 foreign companies. The group is accused of stealing at least 31 terabytes of academic data and intellectual property, including journals, theses, dissertations, and electronic books.
Modus Operandi and Impact
The hacking campaign allegedly targeted approximately 8,000 email accounts belonging to professors between 2013 and 2017, using stolen credentials to gain access. Barati's role reportedly included tracking spearphishing campaigns, exchanging login credentials, creating targeting lists, conducting reconnaissance, and crafting phishing messages. The stolen documents were allegedly provided to the Iranian government and sold through two websites to universities in Iran. U.S. officials estimate the damages caused by Barati’s group to be $3.4 billion, with universities spending about $20 million on investigation and remediation.
Updates
- Amir Barati is a dual citizen of Turkey and Iran.
- Montenegrin authorities arrested Amir Barati on June 25.
- Amir Barati is 40 years old.
- Hacking activities caused over $3.4 billion in losses.
- US unsealed a 14-count superseding indictment in August.
- Indictment charged 17 members of Iran-based Mabna Institute.
- Hacked 178 universities abroad, 11 private companies abroad, five US government agencies, and at least two NGOs.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
An Iranian national, identified by initials A.B., was extradited from Montenegro to the US on charges of hacking hundreds of organizations since 2013, causing over $3.4 billion in losses. This extradition is rare for alleged Iranian state-linked hackers, who typically avoid travel to countries with US extradition treaties.
Amir Barati, an Iranian national accused of participating in a large-scale hacking operation targeting universities and companies, has been extradited from Montenegro to the U.S. Barati is charged with computer intrusion, wire fraud, and identity theft related to the alleged theft of 31 terabytes of academic data and intellectual property.