This article discusses a case of impersonation on LinkedIn, where a fake account posing as Camille Lons, a politics and security researcher, contacted freelance journalist Anahita Saymidinova. The fake account, linked to Iranian hacking group Charming Kitten, targeted Saymidinova, who works for Iran International, a news outlet that has faced harassment from Iranian government officials. The imposter sent a PDF claiming that the US State Department had provided funding for a research project, which raised suspicions. The attackers persisted and even requested a Zoom call to discuss the proposal. This incident highlights the ongoing problem of fake accounts on LinkedIn, which state-backed groups from Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China use for phishing scams or malware attacks. LinkedIn’s valuable resources make it an attractive platform for state-sponsored espionage and other malicious activities. The ultimate goal of these fake accounts is to gain access to individuals’ Gmail or Twitter accounts to gather private information, which can then be used for other targets.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sophisticated state-backed hacking groups targeting people on LinkedIn | From privacy and security to increased vulnerability | Improved security measures and awareness | State-sponsored espionage and information theft |