use Huawei technology from China, at least
in the sensitive core of their networks, due to
security risks.
Turning to Iran, he said that “almost 200
universities” have been victims of data theft,
with research and other work snatched, via a
group called the Mabna Institute.
Mabna is described by the FBI as a private
government contractor that works for the
Iranian government “at the behest of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
In 2018, the FBI put out a wanted poster for
nine Iranian nationals indicted by a New York
grand jury, all allegedly linked to the Mabna
Institute in a scheme to obtain and steal data
from computer systems and sell the stolen data
to the Iranian government, Iranian universities
and others. The notice said 144 U.S. universities
and 176 others in 21 countries were among
victims, which also included five federal and
state agencies.