US imposes sanctions on affiliates of Iran’s IRGC over cyber activities

WASHINGTON: The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday on individuals and entities it linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard for what it called Tehran’s “malicious” cyber and ransomware activity.

The sanctions were part of a joint response by several US agencies, including the departments of Justice and State, the US Treasury said in a statement.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is a powerful faction that controls a business empire as well as elite armed and intelligence forces that Washington accuses of carrying out a global extremist campaign.

The US Treasury said it imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and two entities over the cyber activities.

Ransom software works by encrypting victims’ data. Typically hackers will offer the victim a key in return for cryptocurrency payments that can run into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.