Threat actor · all actors
Magic HoundG0059 state
🇮🇷 IR · IRGC
aka Magic Hound, TA453, COBALT ILLUSION, Charming Kitten, ITG18, Phosphorus, Newscaster, APT35, Mint Sandstorm, Newscaster Team, G0059, TunnelVision, COBALT MIRAGE, Agent Serpens
Last updated: 2026-07-03
About this actor
[Magic Hound](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0059) is an Iranian-sponsored threat group that conducts long term, resource-intensive cyber espionage operations, likely on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They have targeted European, U.S., and Middle Eastern government and military personnel, academics, journalists, and organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), via complex social engineering campaigns since at least 2014.(Citation: FireEye APT35 2018)(Citation: ClearSky Kittens Back 3 August 2020)(Citation: Certfa Charming Kitten January 2021)(Citation: Secureworks COBALT ILLUSION Threat Profile)(Citation: Proofpoint TA453 July2021)
Source: MITRE ATT&CK
Activity timeline
No activity events recorded.
Profile
| CVE | Risk | CVSS | EPSS | Published | Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No attributed CVEs. | |||||
T1003T1003.001T1005T1016T1016.001T1016.002T1018T1021T1021.001T1027T1027.010T1027.013T1033T1036T1036.004T1036.005T1036.010T1046T1047T1049T1053T1053.005T1056T1056.001T1057T1059T1059.001T1059.003T1059.005T1070T1070.003T1070.004T1071T1071.001T1078T1078.001T1078.002T1082T1083T1087T1087.003T1090T1098T1098.002T1098.007T1102T1102.002T1105T1112T1113T1114T1114.001T1114.002T1136T1136.001T1189T1190T1204T1204.001T1204.002T1218T1218.011T1482T1486T1505T1505.003T1547T1547.001T1560T1560.001T1564T1564.003T1566T1566.002T1566.003T1567T1570T1571T1572T1573T1583T1583.001T1583.006T1584T1584.001T1585T1585.001T1585.002T1586T1586.002T1588T1588.002T1589T1589.001T1589.002T1590T1590.005T1591T1591.001T1592T1592.002T1595T1595.002T1598T1598.003T1685T1685.001T1686T1686.003
Mitigating controls (NIST 800-53)
| Control | Techniques covered | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
SI-4 | 63 / 109 | 58% |
CM-6 | 55 / 109 | 50% |
CM-2 | 47 / 109 | 43% |
SI-3 | 44 / 109 | 40% |
AC-3 | 39 / 109 | 36% |
CM-7 | 39 / 109 | 36% |
CA-7 | 37 / 109 | 34% |
AC-6 | 36 / 109 | 33% |
AC-2 | 35 / 109 | 32% |
AC-4 | 33 / 109 | 30% |
SC-7 | 31 / 109 | 28% |
SI-7 | 30 / 109 | 28% |
AC-5 | 26 / 109 | 24% |
IA-2 | 25 / 109 | 23% |
CM-5 | 22 / 109 | 20% |
Co-occurring actors
None.
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