Attack on Charlie Hebdo: EU sanctions Iranian state hackers

The EU is sending a signal against state-sponsored cybercrime: on Monday, it imposed far-reaching sanctions against three organizations and two individuals from Iran and China.

Cyberattack on Charlie Hebdo

At the center of the measures is the Iranian group Emennet Pasargad, which is said to be responsible for a cyberattack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. After the magazine published caricatures of the then supreme leader of Iran, the attackers infiltrated the subscriber database and offered sensitive data for sale on the dark web.

Beyond this act of revenge, Emennet Pasargad was involved in manipulating digital billboards used to spread disinformation during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, according to the EU Council. The company is also said to have been involved in an attack on a Swedish SMS service, which had far-reaching consequences for EU citizens.

Chinese Actors

In parallel, the EU is targeting Chinese actors who are said to have infiltrated digital infrastructures on a large scale. Integrity Technology Group is said to have supplied technical means with which more than 65,000 devices in six EU member states were hacked between 2022 and 2023. The shell company is also linked to the espionage group Flax Typhoon.

At the same time, the EU, following Great Britain, is sanctioning the company Anxun Information Technology (i-Soon) and co-founders Chen Cheng and Wu Haibo. The accusation: targeted attacks on critical infrastructures and state functions in Europe, the sale of stolen classified information as a “hack-for-hire” service. The US judiciary had already indicted participants in this network in March 2025, as it is alleged to have acted on behalf of Chinese security services.

All assets of those affected within the EU will be frozen. Citizens of the community and companies based there are prohibited from providing them with funds or economic resources. For natural persons, strict entry and transit bans for the entire territory of the member states also apply. With this step, which takes place within the framework of the “Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox”, the sanctions list now comprises a total of 19 individuals and seven organizations. The EU thus underscores its determination not to let malicious cyber activities go unanswered any longer and to better protect its own security and the integrity of its partners.

(wpl)