● Covered by 3 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact2 negative1 neutral
US Charges 17 Iranian Hackers, Offers $10 Million Rewards for Five Individuals
Key points
- 17 members of Mabna Institute charged for cyber intrusions.
- Targets included 144 US universities and 178 international institutions.
- Over 31 terabytes of academic data and IP were stolen.
- US offers up to $10 million for information on five individuals.
- Targets included US government agencies, companies, and United Nations organizations.
- The hacking campaign began around 2013.
- The Justice Department unsealed a 14-count indictment on Tuesday.
- The Mabna Institute operated on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- Eight of the charged individuals were previously indicted in 2018.
- Stolen IP was valued at $3.4 billion.
- Nine defendants were previously charged in March 2018.
- Saeid Houshyar, Behzad Mesri, Manouchehr Hashemloo, Keyvan Fayaz, Amir Barati, Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh, Arman Kahzadian, and Mojtaba Galekuhi were named.
Charges Against Mabna Institute Members
The US government announced charges against 17 individuals associated with the Iran-based Mabna Institute. These charges stem from a 14-count superseding indictment alleging widespread hacking activities targeting organizations in the US and internationally.
Scope of Cyber Intrusions
Mabna Institute, founded in 2013, allegedly targeted 144 US universities, 178 international universities, 42 US private companies, 11 international private companies, five US government agencies, and at least two NGOs. The group is accused of stealing over 31 terabytes of academic data, intellectual property, and employee email accounts. The Justice Department states these intrusions were conducted on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Individuals Named and Rewards Offered
The indictment names Gholamreza Rafatnejad and Ehsan Mohammadi as founders, along with 15 other individuals involved in the operations. The US government, through its Rewards for Justice program, is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest of five specific individuals: Behzad Mesri, Mojtaba Galekuhi, Arman Kahzadian, Keyvan Fayaz, and Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh.
Impact on Academic and Research Institutions
The defendants allegedly targeted over 100,000 professors worldwide, successfully compromising approximately 8,000 professor email accounts across numerous universities. Stolen credentials were used to exfiltrate data and documents across various research and academic disciplines, including engineering, medical, and technology fields. The stolen data was reportedly sold through affiliated companies, Megapaper and Gigapaper.
Updates
- Stolen IP was valued at $3.4 billion.
- Nine defendants were previously charged in March 2018.
- Saeid Houshyar, Behzad Mesri, Manouchehr Hashemloo, Keyvan Fayaz, Amir Barati, Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh, Arman Kahzadian, and Mojtaba Galekuhi were named.
- Targets included US government agencies, companies, and United Nations organizations.
- The hacking campaign began around 2013.
- The Justice Department unsealed a 14-count indictment on Tuesday.
- The Mabna Institute operated on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- Eight of the charged individuals were previously indicted in 2018.
✨ 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
The U.S. has charged 17 Iranians, members of the Mabna Institute, for stealing academic research and intellectual property valued at $3.4 billion from American organizations. This action expands on a 2018 indictment and includes new charges for eight individuals involved in cyber operations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The US Justice Department has charged 17 individuals connected to Iran's military for a hacking campaign that targeted US government agencies, universities, and companies, as well as United Nations organizations. This campaign, which began around 2013, involved stealing intellectual property and email data, highlighting ongoing state-sponsored cyber threats.
The US has charged 17 members of Iran's Mabna Institute for hacking into hundreds of organizations globally, including universities, companies, and government agencies. This action highlights ongoing cyber espionage efforts attributed to state-sponsored groups and the US government's response to intellectual property theft.