MuddyWater
aka Mango Sandstorm, Seedworm, Static Kitten, TA450, MERCURY
A spy group assessed to be part of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) that targets government and telecom organizations in the Middle East, Europe and North America. It often tricks victims into installing legitimate remote-control tools.
- Alert level
- 2/ 5
- Reports & advisories (90 days)
- 3
- Known exploited CVEs
- 0
- Personal data leaked (disclosed)
- None confirmed
Attribution
- Assessed to be a subordinate element of Iran's MOIS — MITRE ATT&CK
- Assessed to operate as part of Iran's MOIS — US CISA, FBI, CYBERCOM, UK NCSC and partners
How they attack
Entry
Targeted phishing emails
Like a letter that seems to come from a colleague, with an envelope that springs a trap when opened.
Inside
Abusing legitimate remote-access tools
Like wearing a real repair company's uniform so nobody questions you walking around the office.
Goal
Long-term spying
Like leaving a tiny bug in the meeting room and listening in for months.
Recent articles
Sources
Attributions are quoted as assessed by governments and security vendors. VulnPulse does not make attributions itself.
Leak counts only add up figures disclosed by the affected companies or authorities, never the attackers' own claims. We do not list victim names or link to leak sites.
The alert level is calculated automatically from reports and advisories in the last 90 days, known exploited vulnerabilities, and whether the group has targeted Japan.
Updated 2026-10-23 · daily