Iranian hackers blamed for breach of Los Angeles transit system that took weeks to recover | TechCrunch

A March breach of the Los Angeles transit system was attributed to Iranian-backed hackers. An Israeli security firm reported that the hackers work for Iran’s Ministry of State Security. A hacktivist group named Ababil of Minab claimed responsibility, stating it stole and then deleted data from the transit system. The security firm said the group is not a new independent hacktivist crew and based its assessment on forensic evidence connecting it to a prior Iran-linked campaign. The firm also cited activity attributed to the MOIS by Israel’s National Cyber Directorate and investigated other attacks against companies in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The report places Ababil of Minab within a pattern of fake hacktivist groups tied to Iran’s government.

"Gambit Security said in a report on Tuesday that the hackers work for Iran's Ministry of State Security (MOIS). Reuters first wrote about the Gambit report. A hacktivist group calling itself Ababil of Minab claimed responsibility for the earlier hack, saying they stole then deleted data from the LACMTA's systems. The group's name is a reference to the U.S. air strike on an Iranian school in the city of Minab that killed more than 175 people, mostly children."

""They are not a new, standalone hacktivist crew as they claim," said Gambit. Gambit said its claims are based on forensic evidence that ties the group to a previous Iran-linked campaign, as well as activity attributed to the MOIS by Israel National Cyber Directorate. Gambit said it investigated other attacks against companies in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey."

"If Gambit's assessment is correct, Ababil of Minab would be the latest in a series of fake hacktivist groups that are working for the Iranian government. The most recent example is Handala, which earlier this year hacked U.S. medical tech giant Stryker, wiping thousands of company systems and employee devices. Following the Stryker breach, the FBI seized two Handala websites, and the U.S. Justice Department accused Iran's government of being behind the hacktivist group and its attacks."

"Iranian-linked hackers have increased their activities and their claimed hacks after the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran earlier this year. In April, a coalitio"

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