Shafaq News- Podgorica
Montenegrin police and the US Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI) have arrested an Iranian national wanted by US authoritiesover alleged cyberattacks that caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damage tocritical infrastructure.
The 39-year-old suspect, who holds Iranian and Turkishcitizenship, was detained in the Adriatic coastal town of Kotor. He is wantedby the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on chargesincluding conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, and identity theft.
In a statement, Montenegro's Police Directoratealleged that the suspect carried out large-scale cyberattacks beginning in2013, targeting more than 150 US universities. It also claimed that the stolendata and access to compromised accounts benefited Iran's Islamic RevolutionaryGuard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian institutions.
The case has been referred to the High Court inPodgorica to begin extradition proceedings.
FBI did not immediately comment.
US authorities have repeatedly accused Iran and theIRGC of sponsoring cyber operations against American institutions. In April, UScybersecurity, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies warned of anescalation in Iranian hacking campaigns targeting critical infrastructure.
: Middle East cyber war: Strategy failures leave Arab states vulnerable
