The U.S. Offers a Reward for Information on the Hacking Group 'ImenNet Pasargad'

The U.S. State Department's 'Rewards for Justice' program has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information regarding the hacking group 'ImenNet Pasargad' on its Persian-language social media account. In this official announcement, ImenNet Pasargad is explicitly identified as an agent of cyber infiltration for the Islamic Republic, involved in interfering with the U.S. presidential elections in 2020 and 'spreading cyber terrorism.' This company has previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department and pursued by the FBI, but this time, the State Department's security service has set a $10 million reward for information related to the operatives of this hacking group. The 'Rewards for Justice' program, which is part of the national security interests and the diplomatic security service of the U.S. State Department, revealed the identities of four main operatives of this Iranian government-linked hacking group in a subsequent message on social media. The message states: 'Seyed Mohammad Hashemi, Ali Mahdavian, Fatemeh Sadeghi, and Elaheh Yazdi are Iranian citizens and operatives of the cyber company ImenNet Pasargad in Iran who have attempted to interfere in the U.S. elections.' Previously, in 2021, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned 'ImenNet Pasargad' and six associated individuals for attempting to intimidate and influence American voters during the 2020 presidential elections. In the past, ImenNet Pasargad, under its former name 'Net Pegar Samavat,' had also been sanctioned by the U.S. for supporting the Electronic Warfare and Cyber Defense Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, the FBI has gone a step further than sanctions and has pursued this hacking group legally. In a statement issued in October 2020, the FBI placed this Iranian government-influenced cyber group under federal investigation, stating that 'ImenNet Pasargad' disrupted emails of citizens and influenced the voter registration process in 11 states. The statement also mentioned that Iran was behind the most significant foreign effort to influence the 2020 elections. The Islamic Republic of Iran denies its interference in the 2020 U.S. elections through its influenced hackers; however, reports indicate that Democrats in Florida received emails weeks before the elections urging them to become Republicans. While ImenNet Pasargad is not the only hacking group linked to the Iranian government, it is one of the most active. Microsoft reported in April 2023 that most online operations of Iranian government-affiliated hackers are conducted through the Iranian group 'Cotton Sandstorm,' which Microsoft is tracking. Microsoft warned of a significant increase in cyber activities by Iranian government-affiliated hackers, stating that these groups are increasingly expanding their activities in spreading 'disinformation.' The company announced that the number of cyberattacks by Iranian government-affiliated hackers in 2022 compared to 2021 increased more than threefold and warned that the threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in the United States and Israel is real, as some Iranian groups are seeking new tactics to launch such attacks. FBI: Iranian hackers have become active ahead of the U.S. congressional elections. Microsoft warns of attacks by Iranian hacker groups on software servers. Microsoft warns of a significant expansion of activities by Iranian government-affiliated hackers in spreading 'disinformation.' Microsoft: 'ImenNet Pasargad' is responsible for the cyberattack on Charlie Hebdo magazine.