Iranian hacker group targeted Israel and US in 2020

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A new report shows that an Iranian hacker group known as TA453, or “Phosphorus,” conducted cyber attacks on 25 senior Israeli and American medical researchers in genetics, neurology, and oncology in 2020, Jerusalem Online reported Thursday. In its report, cybersecurity firm Proofpoint cited outside sources in connecting “Phosphorus” to the Iranian regime and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

While Proofpoint could not attest to what the hackers planned to do with the information they obtained, the firm noted that in the past “Phosphorus” has utilized credentials stolen in previous attacks to extract emails and use compromised accounts in new cyber operations, Jerusalem Online said.

The firm said last year’s hacker campaign, dubbed “BadBlood,” may have been conducted for “a specific short-term intelligence collection requirement.” Proofpoint noted that attacks on Israeli experts would be “consistent” with heightened geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran.

Proofpoint added that the methods used to target the medical researchers last year were consistent with how “Phosphorous” had carried out prior attacks, but that the group had never targeted medical professionals before now.

In the past, Proofpoint said, TA453 has targeted “[Iranian] dissidents, academics, diplomats, and journalists.”

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