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https://www.productionai.institute/graph/events/evt-aiid-971

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Production AI Institute public record · AI Incident Database: Iranian Hacker Group Cotton Sandstorm Reportedly Integrating AI into Cyber Influence Operations · observed 2025-03-07
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AI Incident Database: Iranian Hacker Group Cotton Sandstorm Reportedly Integrating AI into Cyber Influence Operations

The Iranian state-sponsored group Cotton Sandstorm, linked to the IRGC, has integrated generative AI into cyber influence operations. In December 2023, it launched Operation “For Humanity," using AI-crafted messaging to hijack a U.S.-based IPTV streaming service with propaganda about the Israel-Hamas conflict. The group also engages in election-related reconnaissance, which suggests they used AI-enhanced influence efforts ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.

AI Incident Database · Incident 971

Operator lens (medium): inspect D7 (tool permissions).

Confidence
82%
Sources
3
Entities
9
Detected
detected 499d ago

Event summary

The Iranian state-sponsored group Cotton Sandstorm, linked to the IRGC, has integrated generative AI into cyber influence operations. In December 2023, it launched Operation “For Humanity," using AI-crafted messaging to hijack a U.S.-based IPTV streaming service with propaganda about the Israel-Hamas conflict. The group also engages in election-related reconnaissance, which suggests they used AI-enhanced influence efforts ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.

D7

Linked entities

  • islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps-(irgc)

    organisation | 70%

  • government-of-iran

    organisation | 70%

  • cotton-sandstorm

    organisation | 70%

  • generative-ai-developers

    organisation | 70%

  • political-candidates

    organisation | 70%

  • media-organizations

    organisation | 70%

  • general-public-of-the-united-states

    organisation | 70%

  • american-voters

    organisation | 70%

  • democratic-integrity

    organisation | 70%

Related graph edges

EdgeTypeConfidence
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d6maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d7maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d7maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d7maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d2maps to60%
ent-aiid-generative-ai-developers to ent-psf-d2maps to60%

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Event dates

  • Happened 2 May 2023

  • Detected 7 Mar 2025

Sources

  • AI Incident Database - Incident 971

    secondary | checked 9 July 2026

    Open source
  • Iranian hacker group aims at US election websites and media before vote, Microsoft says

    primary | checked 7 Mar 2025

    Open source
  • US and Israel Warn of Iranian Threat Actor’s New Tradecraft

    secondary | checked 7 Mar 2025

    Open source
Cite this record

"AI Incident Database: Iranian Hacker Group Cotton Sandstorm Reportedly Integrating AI into Cyber Influence Operations." https://www.productionai.institute/graph/events/evt-aiid-971 (observed 2023-05-02; retrieved 2026-07-19). PAI.

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