Iranian Hackers Tied to $6 Million Bitcoin Extortion Charged in Massive Cyber Campaign
U.S. prosecutors charged 17 alleged Iranian hackers tied to Mabna Institute for a long-running cyber campaign that included the 2017 HBO breach and an extortion attempt for about $6 million in Bitcoin. The Justice Department says the group hacked on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other government and university clients, targeting hundreds of organizations worldwide. Prosecutors allege they stole at least 31 terabytes of data and compromised roughly 8,000 accounts across U.S. and foreign universities, using spearphishing and stolen credentials to take research, journals, dissertations, ebooks, and other intellectual property. The case comes amid broader U.S. efforts to disrupt Iranian crypto networks and sanction entities linked to sanctions evasion and IRGC activity. Rewards of up to $10 million are being offered for information on five defendants.
