Enhanced cybersecurity measures called for following digital assault
Berlin's Justice Senator Felor Badenberg (CDU) has fallen victim to a cyber-attack, suspected to be the work of a well-organized Iranian hacker group known as "Charming Kitten". This group is reportedly linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and is known for targeting political opponents, dissidents, and individuals of Iranian descent abroad.
According to Professor Peter Neumann, a security studies expert at King's College London, Iran is one of the states that spy the most in Germany, alongside China and Russia. Neumann's statement serves as a reminder of the growing threat of Iranian cyber-attacks and the need to take the issue more seriously.
The recent attack on Badenberg involved spear-phishing emails impersonating a representative of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, tricking a staff member into clicking a malicious link that installed malware on a workstation computer. This enabled the hackers to steal personal data such as emails and calendar appointments dating back to February 2023.
Badenberg herself has Iranian roots, which may have made her a particular target for such a state-backed actor aiming to intimidate or surveil critics and individuals with ties to Iranian dissident communities.
The attack affected a work computer in the leadership area of the department, but external IT systems remain unaffected. The Senate Administration is fully operational, and only one computer has been affected, according to the Senate of Justice. No further cases of harmful data traffic have been detected as of current knowledge.
Professor Neumann reported last year alone, ten attempted attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were counted in Europe, including in Germany. These attacks were not only against dissidents but also against the Jewish community, as per Neumann.
SPD politician Fiedler stated that there are many foreign actors to protect from, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The article does not provide information on whether the Iranian government or other entities within Iran are involved in these cyber-attacks.
History and Activities of "Charming Kitten":
Charming Kitten is a sophisticated, state-driven espionage group believed to operate on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. They specialize in spear-phishing attacks, disguising themselves as trusted figures or organizations to deceive victims into opening malicious links or attachments, leading to infection with spyware or malware.
Charming Kitten has been implicated in various campaigns against EU politicians, including a cyberattack on EU parliament member Hannah Neumann in April 2025. Their targets often include Iranian expatriates, dissidents, journalists, and political figures critical of Iran.
In summary, "Charming Kitten" is the leading suspected group behind the cyber-attack, known for its sophisticated, state-driven espionage activity targeting Iranian expatriates and political adversaries internationally through spear-phishing tactics. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of cyber-attacks from state-backed actors like Charming Kitten.
Read also:
- Microsoft's Patch Tuesday essential fixes: 12 critical vulnerabilities alongside a Remote Code Execution flaw in SharePoint
- Russia intends to manufacture approximately 79,000 Shahed drones by the year 2025, according to Ukraine's intelligence.
- Dynamic interplay of power and communication channels set the course for the network's new era
- Spacecraft seizures and celestial armaments in orbit: The 21st century heralds space as the fresh battleground
