Warning: IRGC/MOIS Recruiting under false startup companies via University facilities
Arian Data Pardazan (now defunct) and the Aman Gostaran Farzan Group
An individual in Iran recently applied for a job with a company named Arian Data Pardazan, who posted a job for hire. What he found was disturbing. آرین دیتا پردازان متخلف تیم قرمز
The site called for an in-person interview meeting. As usual, he started researching the company and found almost nothing special. Their website was a raw WordPress theme that they did not even bother to change the text "Lorem Ipsum"! The company's location is listed on the site of Jobvision Pasdaran, but in the in-person meeting, they gave the address of the incubator of the University of Science and Technology, indicating that they are a startup.
While attending the meeting, the interviewer's first line was, "Our name is not Arian Data Processors. We're Afta. (Iranian Cyber Security Agency – Supreme National Security Council)
For the job seeker, this place had a Red Flag showing the company's dishonesty. These dear ones, who are sure that they have nothing to do with AFTA, using the names of different companies and sometimes fake companies, actively seek to recruit for BlackHat work, and he saw fake and real companies actively seeking to recruit for BlackHat work. The AFTA office space occupied the location, primarily young and eager to attract cyber science students.
After being asked about his experience- the interviewer added that pen-testing and red-teaming is not what you will do with our company.
He complimented Red Teaming, hacking, Israeli and American sites, or whomever they consider enemies. This organization is a front company operating as scientific associations of universities institutions related to mobilization, advertising on job sites, and freelancer projects. They started a new round of recruiting relevant people in the offensive security field.
Naturally, a person in the 20-22 or younger age group promising to "work with foreign companies" is attractive, and what they do is similar to movies.
The job seeker stated that there is no honor in Blackwork like this, and in the end, it is setting yourself up for being sanctioned and prosecuted by the FBI or other such organizations.
Many talented kids in the offensive security field were destroyed in this way: their futures and lives. Many will never leave Iran. The government imprisoned others while killing many.
Please be very careful. In the end, you will decide which direction to take.
Arian System Data Processing Co.
No.7, Shaqayeq St., Vali-e-Asr St., Tehran, Iran
(+98-21) 88946657-8
FAX
(+98-21) 88942882-88945965
WEBSITE
http://www.ariansystemdp.com
AFTA Certification
Afta license (security of production space and information exchange) is an activity license the Information Technology Organization of Iran provides to applicant companies. This license includes different trends that each company takes according to its field of activity to obtain the desired license, and after going through the evaluation steps, it receives the relevant certificate.
AFTA is mentioned as a center for strategic management that announced the prevention of a large-scale cyber-attack on Iran's infrastructure, indicating a role in cyber threat monitoring and mitigation.
In another instance, AFTA is a cybersecurity institution that thwarted a cyber-attack from Western states aimed at exploiting security loopholes in specific software used across different institutions in Iran.
Iran describes AFTA as a "presidential strategic management center" that mitigated cyber assaults targeting Iranian infrastructure, explicitly noting the thwarting cyber offensive by actors from the Netherlands, US, and UK.
A particular police unit named AFTA was mentioned to have been established to fight cybercrime in Iran, indicating a law enforcement role in cyber defense.
AFTA is referred to as the cyberspace security center of Iran's president's office, rejecting claims of successful cyber-attacks on Iranian oil facilities, which suggests an official capacity in national cyber defense and public communication regarding cyber threats.
Information Technology Organization of Iran
The Information Technology Organization of Iran was started in 1370 under the name "Data Communications Affairs" and as one of the sub-categories of the Ministry of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones. After the name of the Ministry of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones was changed to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in 2007, in line with the implementation of Article 44 of the Constitution, this organization changed its nature from a state company to a state institution, and its title was changed to "Iran Information Technology Organization." became.
The Information Technology Organization of Iran is a government institution affiliated with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, which manages and controls the country's information technology field by applying policies, regulations, standards, etc., to create and develop the necessary communication infrastructure.
What is an AFTA license?
To support powerful companies in the field of information security services, the Information Technology Organization of Iran, in cooperation with the Strategic Management Center of Fata (the Strategic Management Center for the Security of the Presidential Information Production and Exchange Space) and the General Directorate of the Information Security Management System (NAMA), conducted a security assessment and The certificate has been submitted. Based on this security assessment, after going through the legal procedures and necessary validations, the companies with the security service qualification will receive the activity license for the security services of production space and information exchange (AFTA).
During the validation processes, the services and products of the applicant companies are thoroughly evaluated based on the terms and conditions in the "Guidelines for the Evaluation of Applicants for the Afta License," technical and credit evaluation. A company that receives an AFTA license must comply with all the requirements of AFTA regulations and contracts under this regulation.
Afta licensing trends
AFTA certificate is issued based on documents such as the strategic document for the security of production space and information exchange (AFTA document) and approved laws in the form of five-year development plans for the evaluated companies.
Currently, AFTA service licenses are categorized into four types:
1. AFTA management services
2. AFTA operational services
3. AFTA technical services
4. AFTA educational services
An Example of an AFTA backed company is Aman Gostaran Farzan Iraniyan امن گستران فرزان
امن گستران فرزان
ما اینجا بهترینها را داریم و بهترینها را پرورش میدهیم، لطفا اگر اشتیاقی برای بودن در کنار ما و تیم تلاشگر ما دارید و در زمینه های زیر علاقه و آشنایی تخصصی دارید، مهارت های مورد نیاز هر ردیف شغلی را با دقت بخوانید و فرم های ثبت نام را پر کنید تا برای مصاحبههای بعدی با شما تماس بگیریم
Aman Gostaran Farzan Group has been producing various products and services in this field, intending to provide integrated information security solutions. Farzan Group's policy is to satisfy customers and apply world-class standards in delivering services and products. It has always tried to provide creative solutions based on its experiences and world-class knowledge to increase organizations' information security levels. This Group has tried to reduce dependence on technology-rich countries by producing its product collection under the Fortress brand.
Amn Gostaran Farzan, on LinkedIn, is an entity based in Iran specializing in cybersecurity and network security. Here are the specifics based on the information available:
Foundation and Specialties: Amn Gostaran Farzan was founded in 2015 and specializes in various domains within cybersecurity, including:
Network Security
Information Security
Firewall management
Security Operations Center (SOC) operations
Unified Threat Management (UTM)
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
Information Security Management System (ISMS)
Penetration Testing
Security Maturity Assessment
Threat Hunting
System Hardening
Forensic analysis
Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) services, among others.
Operational Roles:
· Security Operations Center Analyst
· Penetration Testing Manager role
· Chief Technology Officer with a background in network security suggests a strategic approach to technology and cybersecurity within the Group.
Location and Operations:
The Group operates out of Yazd and Tehran, Iran, as per one of the profiles, and has been active in its current roles since at least 2022, as indicated by the tenure of the Penetration Testing Manager.
Training and Education:
There's mention of teaching engagements with the National Iranian South Oil Company, hinting at a broader involvement in cybersecurity education and training in Iran.
Networking and Collaborations:
The connections and roles mentioned across different profiles suggest a network of professionals engaged in various aspects of cybersecurity, both within Amn Gostaran Farzan and with other entities in Iran.
Amn Gostaran Farzan seems to be a comprehensive cybersecurity group in Iran with various specialties to ensure network and information security, yet they are the typical front company for the IRGC. They appear to have a structured approach to managing cybersecurity challenges, including a dedicated operations center, strategic technology leadership, and active penetration testing to identify and mitigate potential threats. They operate as a cybersecurity organization while actively supporting the regime in cyber attacks against the West.