Erin Molan has revealed she was targeted in a sophisticated Iranian cyber-espionage operation and had “no idea” her personal information had been compromised until Australia’s top intelligence agency contacted her.
Molan, 43, said the director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) told her she was one of three Australians successfully targeted by spies linked to Iran.
“I had someone reach out to me pretending to be from a think tank in the US,” she said in a short video posted to her YouTube channel, The Erin Molan Show, on Thursday.
“To be honest, this person is actually real and exists.
“They spoke to me about my dad and my work, praised my courage in speaking out and standing up for what is right, and asked to arrange an online meeting.”
Molan said work and travel initially prevented her from taking the meeting, but she eventually agreed after the contact repeatedly followed up.
She researched the person and found that she appeared to be legitimate. “I looked her up and she was real; she’d appeared on CNN and other networks,” Molan said.
However, when she clicked on the meeting link, she was confronted by an unusual screen and could neither see nor hear anyone.
Erin Molan (pictured) revealed she had been targeted in a cyber attack that authorities later linked to Iran
Molan has been a prominent public critic of the Iranian regime and a staunch supporter of Israel
“I clicked on that link, which then gave the regime access to basically everything,” Molan claimed.
“I didn’t even realise, to be honest, what had happened.”
She said she only began to suspect her information had been compromised after learning about similar incidents involving other Australians.
In October, ASIO confirmed that an Iranian cyber-espionage unit had targeted News24 host and journalist Sharri Markson, as well as former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger.
“I’m one of three in Australia who have been targeted,” Molan claimed.
“When I read the account of one of the others, I thought, ‘Wait a minute.’ I looked back and saw an alert saying my information had been stolen. I hadn’t seen any of that.”
The former News24 host said authorities investigated the incident before telling her the attack had originated in Iran.
“I’ve just had confirmation that it did come out of Iran, so it was a spy working for the regime,” she said.
Mike Burgess (pictured) revealed that Sharri Markson and Michael Kroger were also targeted
Molan said there was also a second suspected attempt to target her on Tuesday.
“Two days ago, I had exactly the same thing happen. Another person tried again,” she said.
“I don’t yet know what they accessed, what they can see or whether they are still there.”
Molan used the incident to warn Australians about what she described as the threat posed by the Iranian regime, saying it was prepared to target critics far beyond Iran’s borders.
“People need to wake up and realise who they are and what they are willing to do to get their way,” she said.
Although she insisted she would continue speaking out despite the risks, Molan acknowledged that the incident had left her worried about her family.
“I’ve got a little girl,” she said.
“I still believe what I do will eventually make the world safer for her, but I’m not going to lie and say this isn’t worrying.”
Molan is a former Channel Nine sports reporter and Footy Show personality who has become a vocal pro-Israel commentator.
