Justice Department Charges Multiple Iranians for Hacking US Government & Colleges

The U.S. Justice Department has unsealed charges against 17 Iranian nationals in connection with an extensive cybertheft campaign. These individuals, allegedly associated with the Mabna Institute, are accused of conducting widespread hacking operations on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian government entities. The charges detail a years-long effort to compromise computer networks across the United States and internationally.

The alleged cyberattacks specifically targeted numerous U.S. government agencies, hundreds of American universities, and dozens of private sector companies. Prosecutors assert that the group stole a significant volume of academic data and intellectual property, including more than 31 terabytes of research from various institutions. This coordinated campaign aimed to illicitly acquire valuable information and intellectual property, often selling the stolen research through Iranian websites.

The indictment, an expansion of a previous case, reveals what officials describe as one of the largest state-directed cyber espionage operations ever prosecuted by the U.S. The Justice Department emphasized that these charges highlight a broader network behind a state-sponsored initiative to steal sensitive data from American institutions. The State Department has also offered a reward for information leading to the apprehension of several of the named defendants who remain at large.