US charges 17 in alleged massive Iranian cybertheft ring

Federal prosecutors in the US unsealed a 14-count indictment Tuesday against 17 members of the Iran-based Mabna Institute for a decade-long cyber espionage campaign targeting hundreds of global institutions.

“Today’s charges reveal the broader network allegedly behind a sweeping, state-sponsored campaign to steal research and intellectual property from American universities, businesses, and government institutions,” said US Attorney Jamie McDonald. The Justice Department alleges the group conducted the intrusions primarily at the behest of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The hackers compromised 322 universities worldwide, including 144 in the US and 178 others globally, according to the indictment. The group reportedly exfiltrated 31.5 terabytes of data, including scientific journals and dissertations. American universities spent $3.4 billion to procure the same data now allegedly stolen and sold through Iranian websites, according to the Justice Department.

The group also reportedly targeted 42 US private sector firms, 11 foreign companies and several US government agencies and the UN. In one instance, defendants allegedly hacked the HBO media company and attempted to extort $6 million in Bitcoin. The intrusions resulted in more than $20 million in remediation costs for the victims.

The State Department authorized a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the location of five primary fugitives.