An Iranian group launches cyber attacks on prominent personalities

Microsoft announced that an Iranian group had organized cyber attacks, by impersonating international conferences in Germany and Saudi Arabia, to attack prominent political figures. Yesterday, Reuters quoted a Microsoft statement that it had discovered and tried to stop a series of cyber attacks by the Iranian “Phosphorous” group, stressing that the attacks were targeting more than 100 prominent personalities. Microsoft said in a blog: “They targeted (Phosphorous). An Iranian group, with this scheme, the potential participants in (Munich Security Conference) and (Thought Group Summit – G20) in Saudi Arabia
The company added that it believes that “Phosphorous” launches these attacks for the purpose of gathering information.
“We believe that the group is involved in these attacks for the purpose of gathering intelligence,” said Microsoft Chief of Security Tom Burt.

“The attacks succeeded in exposing many victims to danger,” he added. Including former ambassadors and other senior policy experts who help shape global agendas and foreign policies in their countries.
Microsoft did not specify the nationalities of the targeted people, but stressed that the activity was not related to the upcoming US elections.
The Associated Press reported that Microsoft has been tracking the Iranian group since 2013 and that it had previously accused it of trying to intrude activists, journalists, political opponents, defense industry workers and others in the Middle East.
Cybersecurity researchers said that the group usually tries to infiltrate a target’s personal accounts on the Internet and computer networks by luring him to click a link that leads to a hacked website, or open a malicious attachment.