US charges 17 Iranians in cyber-theft campaign targeting hundreds of universities worldwide
The US Department of Justice charged 17 Iranians in a sweeping cyber-theft campaign accused of stealing academic research and intellectual property from hundreds of universities worldwide, including institutions in Israel.A 14-count superseding indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court charges members of the Iran-based Mabna Institute, which prosecutors say conducted cyber intrusions on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other Iranian government and university clients.Nine of the 17 defendants were previously charged in the original 2018 indictment.Tuesday’s indictment adds eight defendants and describes additional cyberattacks against American and international institutions.The hacking campaign began in about 2013 and continued through at least December 2017, according to the indictment.
The defendants allegedly targeted more than 100,000 professor accounts worldwide and compromised about 8,000 accounts at 144 US universities and 178 universities abroad.The hackers allegedly stole at least 31.5 terabytes of academic data and intellectual property, including journals, theses, dissertations and electronic books.The material covered fields including science and technology, engineering, medicine, social sciences and other professional disciplines.US universities spent more than $3.4 billion to obtain and access the data and intellectual property targeted in the campaign, according to the Justice Department.The operation also targeted the private sector and government agencies.
The defendants allegedly compromised employee email accounts at at least 42 US companies, 11 foreign companies and five US federal and state agencies, as well as organizations including the United Nations and the UN Children’s Fund.Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.
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