Albania blames Iran for a cyberattack that hit its government structures in July and is severing diplomatic relations with the country. And the United States has officially blamed Iran and said it should be held accountable for threatening the security of a NATO ally.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Wednesday that all staff at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran must leave within 24 hours.
The decision comes after the suspension of diplomatic relations with Iran. The reason for the suspension is a cyberattack that took place in July and targeted Albanian government infrastructure. Albania claims that the cyberattack was carried out by threatening actors from Iran.
"The in-depth investigation has provided us with indisputable evidence that the cyberattack against our country was orchestrated and financed by the Islamic Republic of Iran through the involvement of four groups that activated the attack," said Edi Rama.
"This extreme but necessary reaction is entirely proportionate to the gravity and danger of the cyberattack that threatened to paralyze public services, delete digital systems and breach state records, steal the government's electronic intranet communication, and cause chaos and insecurity in the country."
The United States government has officially blamed Iran for the cyberattack on Albania and said the country will be held accountable for threatening the security of a NATO ally.
"The United States strongly condemns Iran's cyberattack against our NATO ally, Albania," US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on Wednesday.
"We have concluded that the government of Iran conducted this reckless and irresponsible cyberattack . "
"The United States will take further steps to hold Iran accountable for actions that threaten the security of a U.S. ally and set a troubling precedent in cyberspace ."
Cyberattacks could lead to war
In July 2021, President Joe Biden warned that cyberattacks leading to serious security breaches could lead to a “real war.”
“You know, we’ve seen how cyber threats, including ransomware attacks, can cause damage and disruption in the real world,” Biden said.
Biden's statements came a month after a NATO issued in mid-June that cyberattacks are in some cases comparable to "armed attacks."
Information source: bleepingcomputer.com
