Montenegro detains Iranian accused of $3.4B cyber campaign
Shafaq News- Podgorica
Montenegrin police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have arrested an Iranian national wanted by US authorities over alleged cyberattacks that caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damage to critical infrastructure.
The 39-year-old suspect, who holds Iranian and Turkish citizenship, was detained in the Adriatic coastal town of Kotor. He is wanted by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, and identity theft.
In a statement, Montenegro's Police Directorate alleged that the suspect carried out large-scale cyberattacks beginning in 2013, targeting more than 150 US universities. It also claimed that the stolen data and access to compromised accounts benefited Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian institutions.
The case has been referred to the High Court in Podgorica to begin extradition proceedings.
FBI did not immediately comment.
US authorities have repeatedly accused Iran and the IRGC of sponsoring cyber operations against American institutions. In April, US cybersecurity, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies warned of an escalation in Iranian hacking campaigns targeting critical infrastructure.
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