US targets Iranian hackers with $10M reward and criminal charges

The United States government has taken significant steps to combat Iranian-linked cyber operations. The State Department has offered a $10 million reward through its Rewards for Justice program for information leading to the identification of hackers associated with the groups Handala and Parsian Afzar Rayan Borna. These groups are allegedly linked to Iranian state interests, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).

In a related legal development, the Justice Department has charged eight Iranians for their alleged roles in a long-running hacking campaign. The indictment claims the group targeted five federal and state government agencies, as well as numerous universities and private companies. The hackers allegedly breached approximately 8,000 email accounts belonging to professors in the US and Europe to steal intellectual property.

Victims of the alleged hacking include the Department of Labor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the United Nations. The stolen academic data and intellectual property are estimated to have cost US universities $3.4 billion to procure and access. The Justice Department noted that the operation was backed by the IRGC and represents an organized effort to target US institutions and global partners.