- Hackers linked to Israel reportedly drained more than $90 million from Nobitex, Iran‘s top cryptocurrency exchange.
- The group, called Gonjeshke Darande or “Predatory Sparrow,” claimed responsibility and published the exchange’s source code.
- Attackers left public statements declaring that the attack was not financially motivated but aimed to send a political message.
- Nobitex is accused by Hackers of helping the Iranian government evade Western sanctions and transferring funds to allied groups.
- Israel has not officially admitted ties to the hackers, despite reports and previous cyberattacks linked to the same group.
Hackers with alleged Israeli connections stole over $90 million in digital assets from Nobitex, Iran’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, this week. The attackers posted statements online on Thursday, revealing the company’s entire source code and announcing that all assets left on the platform were compromised.
Analysts from several blockchain tracking firms confirmed the theft, stating that the attackers distributed the stolen funds to wallet addresses carrying messages critical of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Reports indicate the hackers destroyed or “burned” the assets rather than attempting to profit, suggesting a political motive.
The responsible group, identified as Gonjeshke Darande or “Predatory Sparrow” in Farsi, accused Nobitex of assisting the Iranian government in bypassing Western sanctions over its advancing nuclear program. The group also claimed that Nobitex moved funds to militant groups backed by Iran.
In a related development, Gonjeshke Darande stated earlier this week that it had erased data during a separate cyberattack on Iran’s state-run Bank Sepah. Citing findings from analytics firm Elliptic, outlets reported that people related to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, had ties to Nobitex, and that operatives from the sanctioned Revolutionary Guard used the platform.
Evidence presented by Elliptic indicated that Nobitex also sent and received transactions from cryptocurrency wallets associated with groups such as Yemen’s Houthis and Hamas. These findings are supported by multiple news reports.
Gonjeshke Darande has claimed past attacks against Iranian targets, including a 2021 operation that disabled gas stations across the country and a 2022 assault on a steel facility that led to a major fire.
Although Israeli outlets have suggested links between Gonjeshke Darande and Israel, the Israeli government has not officially acknowledged any connection.
In the United States, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King raised concerns last year about Iran’s use of cryptocurrency, warning it could help the country evade international sanctions.
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