Actors Insights|Latest update04/12/2023

Charming Kitten Cluster

Suspected state sponsor: Islamic Republic of Iran

The Charming Kitten Cluster is one of the most famous advanced persistent threats associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is active in cyber espionage, with its primary mission being to collect intelligence about its targets. The targets of Charming Kitten typically include journalists, academics, military and government personnel in the EU, the US, and the Middle East.

 

The Charming Kitten threat actor usually uses spoofing attacks such as phishing via email, creating fake personas on social media, fake domains, and custom malware. However, in recent years, this threat actor has become more sophisticated in social engineering, seeking to increase their success rate by inviting targets to video calls and attempting to access target accounts in real-time during these calls on Zoom or Skype. One of the unique features of Charming Kitten cyber espionage campaigns is that they are highly tailored for the target, and each phishing email/message is customized for that specific individual.

Most Common Tactics

Targeted Regions

Austria
AT
Austria
Austria
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Brazil
BR
Brazil
Brazil
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Europe
EU
Europe
Europe
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
India
IN
India
India
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Iran
IR
Iran
Iran
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Israel
IL
Israel
Israel
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Mar 2021
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Mar 2021
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Nov 2021 ~ Jan 2022
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Nov 2021 ~ Jan 2022
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Italy
IT
Italy
Italy
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Middle East
ME
Middle East
Middle East
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jun 2022 ~ Sep 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jun 2022 ~ Sep 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2021 ~ Aug 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Saudi Arabia
SA
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
May 2016 ~ Feb 2017
May 2016 ~ Feb 2017
May 2016 ~ Feb 2017
May 2016 ~ Feb 2017
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Turkey
TR
Turkey
Turkey
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
United Arab Emirates
AE
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
Mar 2021 ~ Sep 2023
United Kingdom
GB
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Oct 2021
Jun 2022 ~ Sep 2022
Jun 2022 ~ Sep 2022
United States
US
United States
United States
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2020 ~ Oct 2020
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Mar 2021
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Dec 2020 ~ Mar 2021
Jul 2020 ~ Jan 2021
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2021
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Jul 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Jul 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Feb 2022 ~ Dec 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jun 2022 ~ Sep 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Jul 2023
May 2022 ~ Jun 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jul 2022
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Feb 2022 ~ Dec 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Dec 2020 ~ Dec 2022
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Jun 2022 ~ Sep 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Jul 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Feb 2022 ~ Dec 2022
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Jul 2023
Apr 2022 ~ Apr 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Apr 2023
Jan 2021 ~ Jun 2023
Sep 2021 ~ Jul 2023
Jan 2016Sep 2023

Targeted Sectors

PoliticalJournalistsMedicalMediaEnergyResearchersPro-DemocracyInformation TechnologyHealthcareHuman RightsScientific ResearchUniversityCivicGovernment Agencies and ServicesCivil EngineeringFinancialInsuranceManufacturingRetailTelecommunicationMilitaryReal EstateAerospaceTourismConstructionLogisticsOil and GasUtilities

Disclaimer: We are working on indexing and analyzing relevant data and this process is not fully completed yet. Therefore, displayed details and statistics may will change in the future.