# Silent Librarian: threat group profile > Silent Librarian is a threat group thought to operate from Iran. Public reporting links it to 10 attack techniques. This free profile shows how it works, stage by stage, so you can judge the risk to you. It lists the other names the group goes by and links to every public report behind it. Canonical page: https://www.edgeprotect.io/threat-actors/silent-librarian Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.edgeprotect.io/) > [Threat groups](https://www.edgeprotect.io/threat-actors) > Silent Librarian ## At a glance | Fact | Value | |---|---| | Attack techniques | 10 (plus 10 sub-techniques) | | Thought to operate from | Iran | | Other names | 5 | | Public reports | 11 | ## Who is Silent Librarian? Silent Librarian is a threat group thought to operate from Iran. Public reporting links it to 10 attack techniques. ### Also known as COBALT DICKENS, Mabna Institute, TA407, TA4900, Yellow Nabu Security companies each give the same group their own name, so one group can have many. ### What public reporting says > Last Friday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the indictment of nine Iranians who worked for an organization named the Mabna Institute. According to prosecutors, the defendants stole more than 31 terabytes of data from universities, companies, and government agencies around the world. The cost to the universities alone reportedly amounted to approximately $3.4 billion. The information stolen from these universities was used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or sold for profit inside Iran. PhishLabs has been tracking this same threat group since late-2017, designating them Silent Librarian. Since discovery, we have been working with the FBI, ISAC partners, and other international law enforcement agencies to help understand and mitigate these attacks. ## How does Silent Librarian attack? Stage by stage Each technique is a known way attackers research, get in, stay hidden or do damage. Here are the 10 linked to Silent Librarian. Some techniques belong to more than one stage. Public reporting also lists 10 more specific variations of them, called sub-techniques. ### 1. Research (3) - T1589: Gather Victim Identity Information - T1594: Search Victim-Owned Websites - T1598: Phishing for Information ### 2. Preparation (4) - T1583: Acquire Infrastructure - T1585: Establish Accounts - T1588: Obtain Capabilities - T1608: Stage Capabilities ### 3. Getting in (1) - T1078: Valid Accounts ### 4. Running code (0) - None linked in public reporting. ### 5. Staying in (1) - T1078: Valid Accounts ### 6. Taking control (1) - T1078: Valid Accounts ### 7. Hiding (1) - T1078: Valid Accounts ### 8. Disabling defences (0) - None linked in public reporting. ### 9. Stealing passwords (1) - T1110: Brute Force ### 10. Looking around (0) - None linked in public reporting. ### 11. Spreading (0) - None linked in public reporting. ### 12. Gathering data (1) - T1114: Email Collection ### 13. Keeping contact (0) - None linked in public reporting. ### 14. Taking data out (0) - None linked in public reporting. ### 15. Causing damage (0) - None linked in public reporting. ## Public reports about Silent Librarian - https://info.phishlabs.com/blog/silent-librarian-more-to-the-story-of-the-iranian-mabna-institute-indictment - https://info.phishlabs.com/blog/silent-librarian-university-attacks-continue-unabated-in-days-following-indictment - https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/nine-iranians-charged-conducting-massive-cyber-theft-campaign-behalf-islamic - https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nine-iranians-charged-conducting-massive-cyber-theft-campaign-behalf-islamic-revolutionary - https://www.secureworks.com/blog/cobalt-dickens-goes-back-to-school-again - https://www.secureworks.com/blog/back-to-school-cobalt-dickens-targets-universities - https://www.proofpoint.com/us/threat-insight/post/seems-phishy-back-school-lures-target-university-students-and-staff - https://www.proofpoint.com/us/threat-insight/post/threat-actor-profile-ta407-silent-librarian - https://www.secureworks.com/research/threat-profiles/cobalt-dickens - https://community.riskiq.com/article/44eb0802 - https://www.proofpoint.com/us/corporate-blog/post/iranian-state-sponsored-and-aligned-attacks-what-you-need-know-and-steps-protect ## Frequently asked questions ### Who is Silent Librarian? Silent Librarian is a threat group thought to operate from Iran. Public reporting links it to 10 attack techniques. ### Where is Silent Librarian thought to be based? Public reporting places Silent Librarian as operating from Iran. Attribution is never certain: it rests on the tools, infrastructure and targets researchers have seen. ### How does Silent Librarian attack? Public reporting links Silent Librarian to 10 attack techniques. Most of them are about preparation, research and getting in. ### How do I know if Silent Librarian is a risk to my business? Create an account and tell us the software you run. We match it against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, rank each one from 0 to 100 and tell you as soon as we spot something that affects you. ## Check whether it matters to your business A free EdgeProtect account (no card needed) matches the software you run against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, ranks each one from 0 to 100 and tells you as soon as we spot something that affects you. It also shows which threat groups and ransomware gangs are hitting your sector, with profiles of over 900 groups and a PDF dossier for each. - Start free: https://www.edgeprotect.io/register - Book a demo: https://www.edgeprotect.io/contact