March 1, 2024 at 01:38PM
The US Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment accusing an Iranian national, Alireza Shafie Nasab, of a years-long cyber campaign targeting US defense contractors and government agencies. The indictment alleges that Nasab and his associates compromised hundreds of thousands of accounts through spear phishing, social engineering, and in-house software. Nasab faces multiple charges and a potential 47-year prison sentence if convicted.
Certainly, based on the meeting notes, here are the key takeaways:
– The US Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment accusing Alireza Shafie Nasab, an Iranian national, and his co-conspirators of operating as a cybersecurity business called Mahak Rayan Afraz, which was actually a criminal gang.
– Nasab and his accomplices allegedly used spear phishing, social engineering, and in-house software to compromise more than 200,000 victim devices, including those containing sensitive or classified defense information.
– The targets primarily included US contractors cleared to work with the Department of Defense, but also extended to an accounting firm, a hospitality company, the US Departments of State and the Treasury, and an unnamed foreign country.
– The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft against Nasab.
– If convicted on all counts, Nasab could face up to 47 years in prison, and the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is offering $10 million for information leading to his identification or whereabouts.
These takeaways provide a concise summary of the key points discussed in the meeting notes.