*Hacking journalists, not that there are many left to hack.
*Also, it's a press release, so maybe the people who wrote this have been hacked themselves. Also, given their lavish cyberwar budgets, you have to wonder why Charming Kitten doesn't just start a publishing house, maybe open a few bookstores.
***********
Iran International has reported that the Iranian government has intensified its hacking capabilities to infiltrate the accounts of international journalists and academic researchers, using fraudulent accounts with the names of well-known journalists. The hackers behind the cyberattacks are part of a hacking team called ‘Charming Kitten’ that has long been associated with the Iranian government.
If you need anymore information or would like an interview with Sadeq Saba, Editor and Presenter of Iran International, please let me know.
Best wishes,
James
News Release
(5th February 2020) Iranian government using cyberattacks to target international journalists and academics
Iran international has reported that the Iranian government has intensified its hacking capabilities to infiltrate the accounts of international journalists and academic researchers, using fraudulent accounts with the names of well-known journalists.
Iran International note that in one case last November, Erfan Kasrai, a philosophy researcher at Kassel University in Germany, was sent an email by the Wall Street Journal to discuss “important achievements” in his life which was aimed at “motivating the youth of our beloved country”.
The email was sent to him by Farnaz Fasihi, an Iranian American journalist in the Middle East, requesting that he access his Google account password when accessing subsequent emails. This was an attempt to enter the email of the academic in Germany.
It is reported that three cybersecurity companies called Serfa, Claire Sky and Atlanta in London, have linked these attempts to spoof and hack accounts to a group called “Charming Kitten”, that has long been associated with the Iranian government.
Security firm Claire Sky which is based in Israel, has provided evidence from other examples of similar attacks under the name of journalists from the CNN and Deutsche Welle network.
Alireza Miriousefi, a spokesperson for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s United Nations office, called the three cyber security companies “merely participating in anti-intelligence campaigns against Iran.”
Editor and Presenter of Iran International, Sadeq Saba said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has reached a point where it is now fighting for its survival, with mounting internal discontent in the country and external pressures in the form of sanctions”.
“The only part of the system which is functioning properly in Iran is the system of state repression, with the country investing heavily in the training of its revolutionary guards”.
Note to editors:
Sadeq Saba is available for interview or comment.
Please email James Gullis jgullis@kreab.com or Aanisah Khan on akhan@kreab.com to arrange a telephone interview, or if you would like a quote or comment from Sadeq Saba.
About Iran International:
Iran International is a Persian language television channel broadcast by satellite to Iran and is licensed in the United Kingdom to Global Media Circulating Ltd as an editorial news service. It was launched on 18 May 2017 and has bureaus in Paris, Istanbul, Kabul and Washington. Iran International is available on every satellite broadcasting to Iran and is also the only Persian channel on Sky for UK viewers. Through their satellite broadcast, Iran International is available to Persian viewers in US, Canada, Africa, UK and Ireland, Europe and all-around Middle East. Iran International Radio is the only foreign Persian radio available on Medium wave (MW) accessible in the cars and portable radios to Iranians inside Iran. On the most recent statistics from Persian IP TV providers, Iran International had more viewers around the world than any other Persian channel.
