UNC1860 and the Temple of Oats: Iran’s Hidden Hand in Middle Eastern Networks

Written by: Stav Shulman, Matan Mimran, Sarah Bock, Mark Lechtik

Executive Summary

UNC1860 is a persistent and opportunistic Iranian state-sponsored threat actor that is likely affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). A key feature of UNC1860 is its collection of specialized tooling and passive backdoors that Mandiant believes supports several objectives, including its role as a probable initial access provider and its ability to gain persistent access to high-priority networks, such as those in the government and telecommunications space throughout the Middle East.

UNC1860’s tradecraft and targeting parallels with Shrouded Snooper, Scarred Manticore, and Storm-0861, Iran-based threat actors publicly reported to have targeted the telecommunications and government sectors in the Middle East. These groups have also reportedly provided initial access for destructive and disruptive operations that targeted Israel in late October 2023 with BABYWIPER and Albania in 2022 using ROADSWEEP. Mandiant cannot independently corroborate ...