Information about cyber attack emerged January 4 Then a hitherto unknown group got information about it. 230,000 readers of Charlie Hebdo magazine. This number is sought by criminals themselves, who identify themselves as “Holy Spirits”. According to Microsoft’s research, the name is the cover of a better-known hacker association.

what is known

The hackers reported that the database was for sale at the time for 20 bitcoins, or about $340,000. The group also published a data sample that includes: full names, phone numbers, home and e-mail addresses of people who subscribe to the publication or purchase goods from the publication. French media confirmed the authenticity of the data leak.

Its publication, for example, has put shoppers at risk of online attacks or physical violence by extremist groups who have retaliated against Charlie Hebdo in recent years for its satirical take on issues related to the Muslim religion and Islamic countries such as Iran. An example of such revenge can be given. Charlie Hebdo office hit by two Muslim terrorists in 2015. Then 12 people died and 11 more were injured.

To draw more attention to this data leak, numerous fake accounts (possibly bots) popped up on social media, for example pretending to be the editor of Charlie Hebdo, who allegedly wanted to discuss and publicize the leak.

What does Microsoft say

On Friday, Clint Watts, CEO of Microsoft’s Digital Threat Analysis Center, wrote:

We believe this attack is the Iranian government’s response to Charlie Hebdo’s cartoon contest. A month before Holy Souls carried out the attack, the magazine announced an international cartoon competition mocking Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The number of winning cartoons would be published in early January, coinciding with the eighth anniversary of the attack. […] to the magazine office,
– says Watt.

The tactics, methods, and procedures of this campaign led Microsoft researchers to conclude that it was the work of an Iranian group. emenet pasargadhas long been an object of monitoring and a target for the US government.

• In January 2022, the FBI said that Emennet Pasargad was behind a “multi-pronged campaign to interfere in the 2020 US presidential election.”
• The group also claimed to be affiliated with the neo-fascist group Proud Boys to further intimidate voters.
• Last year, they targeted Israel by deploying “destructive encryption software”.
• In 2021, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Emennet Pasargad and six Iranian nationals of which it is a member.