Iran hackers linked to global surveillance operation

Group working from Tehran, with help from others located in the Netherlands, Canada, and Britain

WASHINGTON: Iranian hackers have managed to penetrate and steal information from governments and companies around the world since 2012, posing a grave security threat, researchers say in a new report.

The report by the security firm Cylance said the hackers have “extracted highly sensitive materials” from government agencies and major critical infrastructure companies in the United States, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Cylance researchers called the effort ‘operation cleaver’ and said it has “conducted a significant global surveillance and infiltration campaign.”

The group is believed to work from Tehran, with help from others located in the Netherlands, Canada, and Britain, the report said

Targets include government networks as well as companies involved in military, oil and gas, energy and utilities, transportation, airlines, airports, hospitals, telecommunications, technology, education, aerospace and other sectors.

“During intense intelligence gathering over the last 24 months, we observed the technical capabilities of the Operation Cleaver team rapidly evolve faster than any previously observed Iranian effort,” the report said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2014.