# Rocket Kitten: threat group profile

> Rocket Kitten is an espionage group thought to operate from Iran, with suspected state backing. Public reporting about it is still limited. This free profile brings together what is known about it, so you can judge the risk to you.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/rocket-kitten
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/) > [Threat groups](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors) > Rocket Kitten

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 0 |
| Countries and victims named | 15 |
| Thought to operate from | Iran |
| Suspected backing | Iran |
| Motive | Espionage |
| Other names | 5 |
| Public reports | 9 |

## Who is Rocket Kitten?

Rocket Kitten is an espionage group thought to operate from Iran, with suspected state backing. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Also known as

TEMP.Beanie, Operation Woolen Goldfish, Operation Woolen-Goldfish, Thamar Reservoir, Timberworm

Security companies each give the same group their own name, so one group can have many.

### What public reporting says

> Targets Saudi Arabia, Israel, US, Iran, high ranking defense officials, embassies of various target countries, notable Iran researchers, human rights activists, media and journalists, academic institutions and various scholars, including scientists in the fields of physics and nuclear sciences.

## Who does Rocket Kitten go after?

**Sectors:** Government, Military

**Countries and victims named:** Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, Canada, Yemen, United Kingdom, Egypt, Syria, Jordan

See threats by industry: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries

## Public reports about Rocket Kitten

- https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cyber-attacks/operation-woolen-goldfish-when-kittens-go-phishing
- https://www.trendmicro.com/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp-the-spy-kittens-are-back.pdf
- http://www.clearskysec.com/thamar-reservoir/
- https://citizenlab.ca/2015/08/iran_two_factor_phishing/
- https://blog.checkpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/rocket-kitten-report.pdf
- https://community.broadcom.com/symantecenterprise/communities/community-home/librarydocuments/viewdocument?DocumentKey=5758557d-6e3a-4174-90f3-fa92a712ecd9&CommunityKey=1ecf5f55-9545-44d6-b0f4-4e4a7f5f5e68&tab=librarydocuments
- https://researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/2017/02/unit42-magic-hound-campaign-attacks-saudi-targets/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_Kitten
- https://www.cfr.org/interactive/cyber-operations/rocket-kitten

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is Rocket Kitten?

Rocket Kitten is an espionage group thought to operate from Iran, with suspected state backing. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Where is Rocket Kitten thought to be based?

Public reporting places Rocket Kitten as operating from Iran, with suspected state backing. Attribution is never certain: it rests on the tools, infrastructure and targets researchers have seen.

### Who does Rocket Kitten target?

In public reporting, sectors named include government and military, and 15 countries and victims are named, including Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates.

### How do I know if Rocket Kitten is a risk to my business?

Create an account and tell us the software you run. We match it against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, rank each one from 0 to 100 and tell you as soon as we spot something that affects you.

## Check whether it matters to your business

A free Precursor Intelligence account (no card needed) matches the software you run against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, ranks each one from 0 to 100 and tells you as soon as we spot something that affects you. It also shows which threat groups and ransomware gangs are hitting your sector, with profiles of over 900 groups and a PDF dossier for each.

- Start free: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register
- Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact