Three Iranian Nationals Indicted for Hacking into U.S. Satellite Companies

A Department of Justice press release on September 17, 2020 announced an indictment alleging that three hackers from Iran engaged in a coordinated campaign of identity theft and hacking on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization, to steal information related to U.S. aerospace and satellite technology and resources.

Charged in the indictment are defendants Said Pourkarim Arabi, 34, Mohammad Reza Espargham, age unknown, and Mohammad Bayati, 34. 

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers commented on the situation in the same press release, saying, “This case highlights the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ efforts to infiltrate the networks of American companies in search of valuable commercial information and intellectual property.  It is yet another effort by a rogue foreign nation to steal the fruits of this country’s hard work and expertise.”

According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly began hacking into domestic and international companies in approximately July 2015 and continued until at least February 2019. The indictment alleges that at one point, the defendants possessed a target list of over 1,800 online accounts belonging to aerospace or satellite technology companies and governmental organizations in Australia, Israel, Singapore, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

The press release alleges that the defendants were able to identify real U.S. citizens working in the aerospace and satellite fields and impersonate them online, sometimes by hacking into their accounts using malware and phishing schemes. Using these identities, the defendants allegedly employed malware and phishing schemes to gain unauthorized access to various computers and networks. Their successful hacking resulted in the theft of sensitive commercial and personal information and intellectual property from their targets.

James A. Dawson, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, said of the indictment, “Today’s charges are yet another example of the FBI’s dedication to investigating those who target and attempt to steal data and proprietary information from the U.S. Today’s charges allege that these individuals conspired in a coordinated campaign with known IRGC members and acted at their direction. The defendants targeted thousands of individuals in an attempt to steal critical information related to U.S. aerospace and satellite technology. The FBI remains dedicated to protecting the U.S., and we continue to impose risk and consequences on cyber adversaries through our unique authorities, world-class capabilities, and enduring partnerships.”