In this episode of Mitiga Mic, Brian hosts a special live panel on Iran’s cyber arsenal and what it means for global cybersecurity. The discussion features experts Tom from Rakia, Miril Osman from Google’s Mandiant, Rory Sherman from Mitiga, and Ariel Parnes, Mitiga’s COO and co-founder. Together they explore how Iran has evolved into one of the world’s most capable state-backed cyber powers, combining decades of investment, a doctrine built on asymmetric warfare, and the current geopolitical tension across the Middle East.
The panel breaks down Iran’s cyber strategy into espionage, disruption, and psychological operations. Miril outlines how groups linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and the Revolutionary Guard conduct phishing, wiper, and hack-and-leak campaigns to collect intelligence and sow fear. Rory explains how Iranian operators adapt open-source tools and legitimate cloud infrastructure to infiltrate and persist inside networks.
Tom highlights how AI-generated deepfakes and coordinated social media disinformation are weaponized to manipulate public perception and create chaos. In closing, Ariel emphasizes the steps defenders can take now: strengthen security posture, increase monitoring, conduct proactive threat hunting, and run realistic exercises that simulate Iranian TTPs. The key message: Iran’s cyber operations are sophisticated, persistent, and strategically motivated — and organizations everywhere must be prepared for their growing reach.
