The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged 17 individuals from Iran for allegedly conducting a cyber theft campaign on behalf of the Iranian government. The indictment, unsealed on August 18, 2026, claims that members of the Iran-based Mabna Institute have been involved in coordinated cyber intrusions since at least 2013, targeting 144 U.S. universities, 178 foreign universities, 42 U.S. private-sector companies, 11 foreign companies, five U.S. federal and state government agencies, and two non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The hackers are accused of stealing over 31 terabytes of academic data, intellectual property, emails, and other sensitive information. Prosecutors indicated that many of these intrusions were conducted on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which is involved in intelligence gathering and serves other Iranian government and university clients.
Nine of the defendants had previously been charged in a seven-count indictment announced by the DOJ in March 2018. FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. stated that such coordinated cyber intrusions pose a significant threat to national security and emphasized the FBI's commitment to addressing these activities. The intrusions reportedly resulted in more than $20 million in costs for victims to investigate and remediate the attacks. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald remarked that the charges demonstrate the U.S. commitment to protecting national security against foreign threats.