Iran
Iranian hackers targeted over 100 govt orgs with Phoenix backdoor
State-sponsored Iranian hacker group MuddyWater has targeted more than 100 government entities in attacks that deployed version 4 of the Phoenix backdoor. The threat actor is also known as Static Kitten, Mercury, and Seedworm, and it typically targets government and private organizations in the Middle East region. Starting August 19, the hackers launched a phishing campaign from […]
MuddyWater’s DarkBit ransomware cracked for free data recovery
Cybersecurity firm Profero cracked the encryption of the DarkBit ransomware gang’s encryptors, allowing them to recover a victim’s files for free without paying a ransom. This occurred in 2023 during an incident response handled by Profero experts, who were brought in to investigate a ransomware attack on one of their clients, which had encrypted multiple […]
U.S. warns of Iranian cyber threats on critical infrastructure
U.S. cyber agencies, the FBI, and NSA issued an urgent warning today about potential cyberattacks from Iranian-affiliated hackers targeting U.S. critical infrastructure. CISA says there are no indications of an ongoing campaign but urges critical infrastructure organizations and other potential targets to monitor their defense due to the current unrest in the Middle East and cyber […]
US Homeland Security warns of escalating Iranian cyberattack risks
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned over the weekend of escalating cyberattack risks by Iran-backed hacking groups and pro-Iranian hacktivists. This warning was issued as a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin on Sunday and cautions that the Iranian conflict is causing a “heightened threat environment” in the United States, with “low-level” cyberattacks targeting […]
Pro-Israel hackers hit Iran’s Nobitex exchange, burn $90M in crypto
The pro-Israel “Predatory Sparrow” hacking group claims to have stolen over $90 million in cryptocurrency from Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, and burned the funds in a politically motivated cyberattack. The attack occurred on June 18, 2025, with Nobitex first reporting the breach on X at 2:24 AM EST. “This morning, June 19, our technical team detected signs […]
Iranian pleads guilty to RobbinHood ransomware attacks, faces 30 years
An Iranian national has pleaded guilty to participating in the Robbinhood ransomware operation, which was used to breach the networks, steal data, and encrypt devices of U.S. cities and organizations in an attempt to extort millions of dollars over a five-year span. According to a U.S. Department of Justice and an unsealed indictment, 39-year-old man named Sina Gholinejad, also known […]
New IOCONTROL malware used in critical infrastructure attacks
Iranian threat actors are utilizing a new malware named IOCONTROL to compromise Internet of Things (IoT) devices and OT/SCADA systems used by critical infrastructure in Israel and the United States. Targeted devices include routers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), IP cameras, firewalls, and fuel management systems. The malware’s modular nature makes it capable of […]
Iranian hackers now exploit Windows flaw to elevate privileges
The Iranian state-sponsored hacking group APT34, aka OilRig, has recently escalated its activities with new campaigns targeting government and critical infrastructure entities in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region. In these attacks, spotted by Trend Micro researchers, OilRig deployed a novel backdoor, targeting Microsoft Exchange servers to steal credentials, and also exploited the Windows […]
Iranian hackers charged for ‘hack-and-leak’ plot to influence election
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging three Iranian hackers with a “hack-and-leak” campaign that aimed to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Iranian nationals Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yaser Balaghi worked for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to hack the accounts of current and former U.S. officials, individuals linked […]
US warns of Iranian hackers escalating influence operations
The U.S. government is warning of increased effort from Iran to influence upcoming elections through cyber operations targeting Presidential campaigns and the American public. In a joint statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the U.S. says that Iran carried out cyberattacks […]