This is the first time that the U.S. government is charging foreign state actors with disrupting or attempting to disrupt U.S. infrastructure, or key industries like finance and water. It is just eight months since the signing of the nuclear agreement between Iran, the U.S., and other countries.
Officials said the move demonstrates the government’s effort to deter other countries from conducting malicious cyber attacks, the Washington Post reports. Two years ago, the U.S. indicted five Chinese military officers on cyberspace economic espionage charges.
Officials told the Washington Post that the indictment will list the names of the alleged hackers, as well as their role in the cyber attack campaigns. The banks targeted by the attacks include JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. Analysts believe the hackers were acting in response to economic sanctions imposed on Iran for their nuclear program.
[h/t Washington Post, image via Shutterstock]