Microsoft Confirms Iran Behind Hacking of Charlie Hebdo Over Cartoons Mocking Supreme Leader

Paris, France - In a recent report, Microsoft security team confirmed that Iran was behind the hacking of the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, after the magazine ran a competition to mock the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The magazine was hacked early last month after publishing a series of cartoons that depicted Khamenei negatively. This was part of the magazine's support for the anti-government protests happening in Iran for months.

At the time of the hacking, Charlie Hebdo claimed that Iran was behind it and published a second magazine cover as retaliation. The Islamic regime had threatened an "effective response".

Microsoft's security researchers stated that they believe the attack was carried out by an "Iranian nation-state actor" and pointed to an online group known as "Holy Souls". Last month, the group claimed to have access to 200,000 Charlie Hebdo customers and offered to sell the information for around £390,000 in bitcoin.

The researchers warned that magazine subscribers could be at risk of online or physical targeting by extremist organizations, should the stolen data be released.

Laurent Sourisseau, the magazine's owner, commented on the hacking: "A digital attack doesn't leave anyone dead, but it sets the tone. The mullah's regime feels so threatened that it considers it vital to its existence to hack the website of a French newspaper. It is an honor in one sense, but above all, it proves that they feel their power is very fragile."

The published cartoons referred to the brutal crackdown by Iranian authorities on protesters, with some showing Khamenei with a noose around his neck in a sea of blood. Other cartoons were considered to be more offensive to the religion, with mullahs crawling around naked women.

The hacking of Charlie Hebdo has sparked outrage and concern for freedom of speech and press in the country and around the world.