Unpacking Russian-Iranian Private-Sector Cyber Connections
Unpacking Russian-Iranian Private-Sector Cyber Connections
Source: Margin Research
Published on: May 7, 2026
🚨 Key Highlights:
- Ukraine claims that Russia is providing Iran with cyber support.
- Alleged interactions between Russian cybercriminals and Iranian hacker groups have been reported.
- Russian government denied these claims on April 8.
This analysis highlights the expanding relationships between Russian cybersecurity firms and Iran, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict. Russian hacker group NoName057(16) has been active since March 2022, targeting NATO member states and European countries. They claimed responsibility for DDoS attacks against Israeli political entities.
Additionally, the Cyber Islamic Resistance, a pro-Iranian group, has been coordinating with NoName057(16) for these operations.
Both countries have a range of private-sector cybersecurity companies that support their respective states. For instance, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned two Iranian companies in April 2024 for providing cyber support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Russian government agencies also employ private-sector contractors for various cyber operations, including Positive Technologies, which supports the Federal Security Service (FSB).
In July 2023, Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development discussed further partnerships with Iran to enhance software exports and data transmission channels.
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