Security News > 2022 > September > US sanctions Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence over Albania cyberattack
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions today against Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security and its Minister of Intelligence for their role in the July cyberattack against the government of Albania, a U.S. ally and a NATO member state.
MOIS is the Iranian government's leading intelligence agency, tasked with coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence efforts, as well as covert actions supporting the Islamic regime's goals beyond the country's borders.
"In July 2022, cyber threat actors assessed to be sponsored by the Government of Iran and MOIS disrupted Albanian government computer systems, forcing the government to suspend online public services for its citizens."
After linking the July cyberattack that targeted Albanian government infrastructure to Iranian threat actors, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Wednesday that the country severed diplomatic ties with Iran and asked all embassy staff to leave within 24 hours.
"Iran's cyber attack against Albania disregards norms of responsible peacetime State behavior in cyberspace, which includes a norm on refraining from damaging critical infrastructure that provides services to the public," said Brian E. Nelson, the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence today.
"MOIS carries out cyber espionage and disruptive ransomware attacks on behalf of the Iranian government in parallel with the other Iranian security service the IRGC," John Hultquist, Mandiant's Vice President of Intelligence Analysis, told BleepingComputer.