Void Manticore
aka Handala Hack, Homeland Justice, Karma, Red Sandstorm, Banished Kitten
A group assessed to work for Iran's Ministry of Intelligence that poses as hacktivists such as 'Handala'. It steals and then wipes data at organizations in Israel, Albania and the US.
- Alert level
- 1/ 5
- Reports & advisories (90 days)
- 0
- Known exploited CVEs
- 0
- Personal data leaked (disclosed)
- None confirmed
Attribution
- Assessed to operate on behalf of Iran's MOIS — MITRE ATT&CK
- Assessed the 'Handala Hack' persona is run by MOIS-linked Void Manticore — Check Point
How they attack
Entry
Stolen VPN accounts
Like getting hold of an employee's pass and walking right in through the front door.
Entry
Getting in through IT providers
Like getting the keys from the property manager instead of breaking into the building.
Goal
Wiping data
Like a burglar who takes the files and then burns down the archive on the way out.
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