Nine Iranians charged in $3.4 billion cyber theft campaign targeting universities

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Nine Iranians have been charged as part of massive state-sponsored cyber theft campaign that targeted hundreds of universities, companies and government entities in the U.S. and abroad, federal authorities announced Friday.

The suspects, all affiliates of an Iranian-based company known as the Mabna Institute, allegedly breached the computer systems of the U.S. Department Labor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the United Nations and the states of Hawaii and Indiana, federal officials said.



Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said Friday that the suspects allegedly stole more than 31 terabytes of data–about 15 billion pages–from 140 American universities, 30 U.S. companies and five government agencies, while targeting 176 universities abroad.

The stolen information, including academic research in technology, medicine and other sciences, is valued at $3.4 billion, authorities said.

At least 100,000 email accounts held by university professors and researchers were targeted, and about 8,000 of the accounts were compromised.

“For many of these intrusions, the defendants acted at the behest of the Iranian government and, specifically, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps,” Rosenstein said.

While the nine suspects remain in Iranian, beyond the immediate reach of U.S. authorities, Rosenstein said their public identification “helps deter state-sponsored computer intrusions by stripping them of anonymity and imposing consequences.”

“Revealing the Mabna Institute’s nefarious activities makes it harder for them to do business,” he said.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman characterized the coordinated cyber attacks as “one of the largest state-sponsored hacking campaigns ever prosecuted.”

“The hackers targeted innovations and intellectual property from our country’s greatest minds,” Berman said. “These defendants are now fugitives from American justice, no longer free to travel outside Iran without risk of arrest.”

Prosecutors assert that the Mabna Institute, founded in 2013, served as a contractor for the Iranian government with the specific mission to steal valuable research and other proprietary information, some of which was sold inside Iran.

The institute employed cyber mercenaries–hackers-for-hire–and others to conduct the intrusions, officials said.

During the course of four years, academic data and intellectual property was lifted from university systems across the globe.

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Would 50 years in prison be too good for them? no wonder of Universities are so messed up

If Iran has the data so does NK, and China.

These are Obama’s buddies.

@kitt:Your guy has brought in uber Hawk Bolton as his NSA–Tell the grand kids to suit up===thank God we have 2 Marine 4 stars who’ve actually seen the horrors of war up close and personal.
This guy has never served and is a Fox analyst for Christ’s sake.
His new economics chief also a TV analyst.
New DEFENSE LAWYER–you guessed it–a Fox analyst

Is Hannity coming in as Sec Defense? Laura I. as Sec State? Gotta be a spot on the team for Greg Gutfeld.

Meanwhile a Playmate–says DT LOVED HER– and a Porn Star all over the news claiming DT in extra marital affairs with them—poor Melania.

I believe DT REALLY DOES ENJOY CHAOS—Dow off 1100 points in 2 days.

Buckle Up——Semper Fi

@Rich Wheeler: Having a Hawk for security maybe we wont be bait for every bad player on the planet, departments following some type of protcol, funny how China has an almost duplicate of our latest technology in aircraft.Obama knew Clinton had an illegal server he emailed her under an alias.
He really doesnt need a great defense lawyer, the coup is falling apart at the seams, ah..er Grand Jury. I guess it wont do any good to go back into the time machine and show Obamas cabinet and their lack of expertise in the positions they were placed in. Valarie was moved into his mansion what is that a second wife?
The world has the impression DT is insane thats good, they thought Reagan was insane too and we got out hostages our of Iran back in short order.. A Globalist ass kisser he aint. Not that I agree with everything, Matis talked him into signing that horrific spending doonbogle, he should have told congress to shove it up their poop chutes. The Tariffs a very bad idea at least this soon. Reagan had the nads to shut er down til he got what he wanted.

@kitt: @kitt: He only kisses Putin’s ass—–WHY?
Like I SAID Thank God for Gen. Mattis–the adult in the playpen.
Obama e-mailed HRC under an alias? what was it?

DT and friends are discrediting Mueller in prep for dismissal—we think we got chaos now—stand by.

@Rich Wheeler: Dont get me wrong I love Mattis but he needs to not stick his snout in our budget, DT could have got a better deal by veto. Like Obamacare no one has time to read this bill, wheres our budget? Kick the taxpayer in the ass with one foot and the can down the road with the other.
This is old news Rich you need to pay attention to the dance card. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/hillary-clinton-emails-fbi-228607

@kitt:What name did he use? Anything wrong with that? Trump has used many–mighta used a couple myself though not here at FA.LOL
Bill Burriss has one–what’s RT’S real name and how’s he doing.
Do you think Hannity will get a cabinet post?

@kitt: Isn’t it amazing what common-knowledge facts go unnoticed by liberals because the prefer to keep their heads buried in their propaganda cesspool? Mattis was perfectly justified in giving Trump is views on the budget and push for more money. He is in charge of the military and can’t train and replace equipment without it.

Bill Burriss—You wanna talk about a cesspool —-look no further than our current Admin. Thank God fot Marine 4 stars Mattis and Kelly—only adults in a playpen led by our philanderer in chief.
Repubs who support DT can no longer claim any moral high ground. They are in the sewer looking up.

@Rich Wheeler: The name used was not revealed, the alias used is to avoid FOIA searches, the point you intentionally missed was He knew about the illegal server long before it was revealed by the news. All communications from President are classified so he himself broke the espionage law by sending anything to Hillarys bathroom server. Then was highly truth challenged about it on multiple occasions.
I’ll accept some DT supporters are in the sewer but will never have to look up to Democrats…ever. Attacking nuns that care for the elderly there just is a bar we will never reach down for. The texts between two lovers proved he knew about the illegal spying on Trump, or involved with the Hillary skate party.
Facts Richie keep behaving ignorant, only proves you are no longer able to think for yourself but suck up the left wing propaganda.
From NBC, In a Sept. 2, 2016, text exchange, Page writes that she was preparing the talking points because “potus wants to know everything we’re doing.”
He is in this up to his ears.

@kitt: I don’t know Kitt—sleeping with his mistress at Trump Tower–pretty damn sleazy.
“attacking nuns”–you mean in a Yemen convent or in a court case?

What left wing propaganda are you referring to? Your the gal who sucks up to DT’S continual lies.—how long to you think Melania will put up with the degradation he’s put her through?—-Jr’s wife has had enough.

@Rich Wheeler: Sleazy …Sleazy? How bout moving a woman right in the same house as your ol lady? http://freebeacon.com/politics/report-valerie-jarrett-moving-into-obamas-home/ But Mooch cant be degraded she parties with the other wife https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2017/11/07/michelle-obama-parties-with-valerie-jarrett-at-las-vegas-hot-spot
It isnt like he left her to suffocate in a car while reading the morning paper and contacting attorneys. Women that sleep around with rich married men hold no sympathy with me. Lets see how many “me too sl>ts” they will pay to be on your tv. Like his sex life before he decided to run for office is our beezwax, your voyeuristic fascination with this is sorta sick.
Attacking Christians in the middle east well who allowed a caliphate? Who armed them? Hash tags didn’t bring back our girls, why didn’t you mention the Yemens when they have been under genocide since 2011 the Obama years, who bowed to house of Saud? Facts facts such pesky things.

@kitt: Trump Jr—-apple/tree.
I’d say your support of a guy like Trump is “kinda sick.”
Fact—DT is a boldfaced liar—and you accept it. kinda sad.

BTW DT’S been running for office for 20 years—Americans have laughed and sent him home—this time he got lucky he had HRC as his opponent–Jim Webb would have clobbered “ol bone spurs”

Bahahaha I aint the only sick one news/articles/2016-03-04/former-democratic-sen-jim-webb-says-he-may-vote-for-trump-over-clinton

Im so sick… https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-04/former-democratic-sen-jim-webb-says-he-may-vote-for-trump-over-clinton
Theres your drop out. 😉
The lib media sure loved him http://www.slate.com/…/jim_webb_wants_to_be_a_white_man_s_democrat_the_former_virgi...
Your party eats its own, and working white men wont be used and tossed aside anymore.
Even if he meant everything he said the mold has been cast by his predecessors, the far left wing has a death grip.

@kitt: Webb was like me—he didn’t vote for either bad actor.—-push came to shove he couldn’t stomach either—-understandably..

PLS reread 1st paragraph of your Jarrett article-

@kitt: Which is why Webb never had a chance in any Democrat primaries; he couldn’t appeal to the far left socialistic tendencies that have become predominant in the Democrats. Like Webb, what the Democrats have become makes most patriotic Americans want to puke.

@I voted for a loser: You have to read the whole thing, “The Night Stalker” by other White House staffers because she was often seen following Obama from the West Wing to the private residence.

Then what ever he says expect the opposite cause he cannot tell the truth

Obama had previously promised to follow the lead of his predecessor, former President George W. Bush, and not comment on the Trump presidency. After the election, Obama said he intended to be respectful to the office of the presidency and give Trump a chance to enact his agenda.

Before he could finish the wall around his residence, cause walls dont work, he began the resistance. Then either Kerry or he would follow Trump around the planet. He, just like you, cant help himself. Grovel to the march of New World Order, no more sovereignty.

@kitt: Obama never respected the office of the Presidency; even when he was President. He brought disgrace to the office and the country.

@Deplorable Me: He is just part of the group that can not stand that they cant control everything, How we live what we do he has made his multi millions but it will never be enough.