Iranian cyber operation Emennet Pasargad, also known as Aria Sepehr Ayandehsazan, Cotton Sandstorm, and Haywire Chicken, was noted by the FBI, Department of Treasury, and the Israel National Cyber Directorate to have leveraged updated tradecraft, such as IP camera breaches and generative artificial intelligence, in recent attacks, including its compromise of the Summer Olympics, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
Intrusions aimed at the Olympics included the targeting of an anonymous French commercial dynamic display provider in July to show photo montages denouncing Israel's participation in the games, as well as disinformation efforts involving fake news and threat messages to Israeli athletes, according to the joint advisory. Meanwhile, generative AI has been used by Emennet Pasargad in its attacks aimed at Sweden and Israel, said the FBI, who also noted the seizure of the operation's infrastructure management and obfuscation domains. Such a development comes after Emennet Pasargad members were sanctioned by the U.S. State Department as it indicted other hackers involved in the hacking of former President Donald Trump's campaign.
