Threats · 54 days ago
The US this week charged 17 Mabna Institute members for intrusions that hit hundreds of universities and organizations in the US and abroad, and paired the case with rewards of up to $10 million for five suspects. The Justice Department says the Iran-based group worked for the IRGC and stole more than 31 terabytes of academic data, intellectual property, and employee email accounts.
According to the indictment, the attackers logged into real professor inboxes, then used those trusted accounts to pull down more documents and send data onward as if it belonged there. The same material was then sold through Megapaper and Gigapaper, turning stolen access into a resale channel instead of a one-time theft.
That leaves a wider problem than a set of breached schools: any research or collaboration environment that depends on staff email as a trust signal can have data and identity reused after the first compromise. The case also shows how long-running espionage can persist as a black-market asset even after the initial inbox theft is old news.
6 sources covering this story
US charges 17 Iranian hackers over 31-terabyte academic data theft - Help Net Security
US charged 17 alleged Iranian hackers over a campaign targeting universities, companies and government agencies.
The Record from Recorded Future
US charges Iranians for sprawling hacking campaign on government agencies, universities
The Justice Department accused 17 alleged hackers with ties to the Iranian government of breaching email accounts at U.S.
US charges Iranian hackers over $3.4 billion intellectual property theft
has charged 17 Iranians, alleged members of a hacking-for-hire company called Mabna Institute, involved in years-long operations that stole data from American organizations.
US Charges 17 Iranian Hackers, Offers $10 Million Rewards for 5 of Them
The 17 members of the Mabna Institute targeted hundreds of universities and organizations in the US and abroad.
Federal authorities unsealed an indictment against 17 Iranians affiliated with the Mabna Institute, alleging a campaign of vast state-sponsored cybertheft.
DOJ charges 17 people in Iran-backed hacking campaign against US
Officials allege an IRGC-linked organization was behind a coordinated effort to steal research from American universities, companies and government agencies.
Part of the PlainSec briefing for 2026-08-21