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| IRGC |
Recent articles have shown that the Iranian State has used computer malware Shamoon and linked malware StoneDrill and NewsBeef to damage others. Instead of glorifying Iran, the exposing of such activity by well-known companies like Kaspersky Lab, discussion on the Iranian Exploit Database (IEDB) forum and articles on the Iran Cyber News Agency (ICNA) site has damaged its reputation.
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| IEDB |
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| Iranian Cyber News Agency (ICNA) |
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| Imam Hossein University (IHU) |
This is supposed to be a seat of learning, but it seems that the education of students is for purposes other than knowledge. The IRGC officers who pose as professors and academics, have put their hands in the hand of their masters. We have seen the State has turned against its own with controls on the Internet. Are students there helping to suffocate the true Iranian voice?
Instead of serving the people of Iran, students can apply to trade-off their military service, by doing 'project' work. The IRGC claim to offer a trade-off to students to exchange time spent on projects for a reduction of their military commitment. The IHU offered sites for students to do this. What sort of exchange do students actually receive? Months of hard work for a few days respite? Military service should be exactly this: to protect the people of Iran, not hiding away working on developing malware that has only served to show us in a bad light internationally, and does not benefit the State.
It is far from unknown for the IRGC to make money from their work, and some of this malware development may be to extort money from victims to gain finances for their own personal 'projects'. The ill-gotten gains will not be shared with the authors.
There are other Universities - University of Tehran, Iran University of Science and Technology, and Sharif University of Technology, that are not so closely linked to the State, where studies can be conducted without the shadow that hangs over the Imam Hossein University.
Already, there are people being sought by foreign nations for arrest because of their work for the State against others. Last year with the ITSec Team and again this year, with other actors Ajily and Rezakhah that the Americans have indicted those involved in malware attacks. With the publication of the recent articles we are sure that the concentration of the West will be even more closely focused on Iran. This work is linked back to the IHU, so how long will it be before others are exposed?
The risks of working for the Iranian State
It may be in the future that Iranians will be freer to travel and work overseas; already we see that Russia is keen to allow visa-free travel to Iranians. If those involved with this malware work are identified, they will be denied the opportunities this would bring them and their families. Travelling overseas, individuals would be at risk of being diverted to an airport in a country with an extradition agreement with the U.S. Students could then be arrested and then sent to face the justice of the U.S. courts. They must realize that they are jeopardizing their futures...
Not only is it their futures at stake; President Rouhani has worked hard to lift sanctions on Iran. Can it be that the IRGC will use students to bring down a new round of punishment for all citizens?
CNN has recently suggested that Iranian cyber actors are using LinkedIn to target U.S. nationals. The U.S. will not stand idly by as we know from the past. Only last month, new sanctions were put in place by the U.S. congress.
The selfish actions of a few will affect the many. If blame is sought from within, will the IRGC shoulder the responsibility, or will they suggest that students had acted on their own and leave them to face the resulting severe penalties and national shame?
