US Offers $10 Million Reward for Iranian IRGC Cyber Commander Amir Yaryab
The United States is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification or location of Amir Yaryab, leader of the cyber command of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to US authorities, Yaryab heads the Cyber Operations Command of the IRGC Cyber-Electronic Command and supervises units involved in operations against critical infrastructure. Among the groups under his direction are Shahid Hemmat and Shahid Shushtari, associated with campaigns targeting defense, energy, telecommunications, finance, transportation, hotels, and airlines sectors in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
Yaryab is also linked to structures connected to the CyberAv3ngers group, known for attacks against industrial systems and operational technology equipment. The objectives of these operations include espionage, disruption, and manipulation of critical systems.
Previous Campaigns and Technical Details
Earlier campaigns attributed to IRGC-linked actors compromised internet-exposed Unitronics programmable logic controllers. Between November 2023 and January 2024, at least 75 devices were affected, including 34 used in the US water and wastewater sector. The attackers primarily exploited equipment with default passwords or lacking adequate protection. In some cases, they altered control logic, remote access credentials, and operator interface screens.
The reward is part of the Rewards for Justice program and covers information on individuals who, under the direction of foreign governments, participate in malicious cyber activities against US critical infrastructure.
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