Charming Kitten
High ConfidenceHigh ThreatAPT35 • Phosphorus • Mint Sandstorm • NewsBeef • Ajax Security Team • Magic Hound
Charming Kitten, also tracked as APT35, Phosphorus, or TA453, is an Iranian state-sponsored threat actor affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Active since at least 2014, the group conducts sophisticated social engineering campaigns targeting academics, journalists, human rights activists, and government officials. They are known for creating elaborate fake personas and impersonating journalists or conference organizers to build trust with targets. Charming Kitten's operations focus on intelligence collection supporting Iranian national security priorities, with particular interest in nuclear negotiations, sanctions policy, and Iranian diaspora communities.
Charming Kitten, also tracked as APT35, Phosphorus, or TA453, is an Iranian state-sponsored threat actor affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Active since at least 2014, the group conducts sophisticated social engineering campaigns targeting academics, journalists, human rights activists, and government officials. They are known for creating elaborate fake personas and impersonating journalists or conference organizers to build trust with targets. Charming Kitten's operations focus on intelligence collection supporting Iranian national security priorities, with particular interest in nuclear negotiations, sanctions policy, and Iranian diaspora communities.
Target Sectors
Target Regions
Attributed to IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) (Iran). Attribution confidence: High.
Future Outlook
Charming Kitten is expected to continue operations targeting Media sectors.
First observed activity of Charming Kitten
Continued active operations