Iranian nationals charged in hacking campaign
A screenshot of a DOJ release about three Iranians accused of hacking for ransom the computer networks of hundreds of victims in the United States and around the world, Sept. 14, 2022. PHOTO/COURTESY: VOA
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The U.S. Justice Department has unsealed criminal charges against three Iranians accused of hacking for ransom the computer networks of hundreds of victims in the United States and around the world.
The three hackers are accused of carrying out “malicious computer activities” between October 2020 and August 2022, according to a 30-page indictment unsealed Wednesday.
The indictment comes amid a surge in ransom
attacks on organizations in the U.S. and elsewhere, costing victims billions of
dollars and prompting law enforcement agencies to step up efforts to combat the
problem.
Among the targeted organizations of the Iranian
hacking campaign were a New Jersey township, two accounting firms, a power
company, and a domestic violence shelter.
All were victims of what is known as a “ransomware
attack,” in which cybercriminals encrypt a target’s computer files and then
demand bitcoin payments in exchange for decrypting them.
In this case, the victims sometimes made a ransom
payment, according to the indictment.
Law enforcement officials briefing reporters
emphasized that the alleged hackers behind the cyberattacks did not work for
the Iranian government, which has long been accused of sponsoring cyberattacks
against victims in the United States and other countries.
“Crimes like these will happen when nations and
their governments do not adhere to widely accepted norms like promulgating and
enforcing broadly applicable laws against computer hacking and extortion,” a
senior law enforcement official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The three hackers – identified as Mansour Ahmadi,
Ahmad Khatibi Aghda, and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari – remain at large and are
believed to be in Iran.
The defendants face four counts, including
computer hacking and extortion.
Law enforcement officials said the victims were
“targets of opportunity,” identified because of vulnerabilities in their
computer systems.
The victims were located in the United States, the
United Kingdom, Iran, Israel, Russia and other countries, according to the
indictment.
Among them were small businesses, government
agencies, nonprofit organizations, and educational and religious institutions.
The attackers also targeted critical
infrastructure organizations, including health care centers, transportation
services, and utility providers.
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