Cyber Threat Actor: MuhmadEmad

MuhmadEmad is the alias of a Kurdish hacker who has been active since at least 2015. This individual or group is primarily motivated by ideology, specifically a strong opposition to the Islamic State (ISIS) and discontent with Turkey's actions in the Kurdish region. MuhmadEmad first came to prominence in August 2015 when they defaced the websites of the Etowah County Sheriff's Office and the Hardin Center in Alabama, displaying a Kurdish flag and an anti-Islamic State message. This incident highlighted their anti-ISIS stance, a theme that would continue in subsequent attacks. In January 2015, MuhmadEmad targeted the Turkish government directly, defacing two websites belonging to the Afyonkarahisar Provincial Disaster and Emergency Management. The message left on these sites demanded that Turkey stop supporting ISIS, demonstrating MuhmadEmad's willingness to engage in cyber activism against entities they perceive as supporting terrorism. The most notable attack by MuhmadEmad occurred on May 26, 2016, when they defaced five Dell subdomains, including eir.dell.nl. In this incident, they left anti-Turkey and anti-ISIS messages, once again showcasing their ideological motivations. This attack gained significant media attention and highlighted the hacker's desire for notoriety. MuhmadEmad's actions are often accompanied by messages expressing their Kurdish identity and political beliefs, indicating a strong sense of activism and a desire to bring attention to their cause. The hacker's primary tactics involve website defacement and leaving politically charged messages, suggesting a focus on disruption and propaganda rather than financial gain or data theft.