HOSSEIN FARD SIAHPOUSH – Iranian Cyber Threat Actor

Affiliation: MOIS

Hossein Fard Siahpoush, also known by the alias Parsa Sarafian, is a key figure in Iran’s cyber operations. He is a board member of Avaye Hooshmand Ravin and the leader of the Darkbit hacking group. Siahpoush has been conducting online training courses under his alias, with only his voice being previously known. In January 2023, his group launched a ransomware attack on the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. Darkbit has also claimed attacks on the Tel Aviv Municipality, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, and the Mental Health Department of the Israeli Ministry of Health, though evidence for these claims has not been provided. Siahpoush is associated with the Ravin Academy, which is linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). Cyber groups under the Ravin Academy have reportedly conducted attacks on systems in Italy, Algeria, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Pakistan. This is the first time his image has been made public, as revealed by Iran International TV. #RavinAcademy