GEOPOLITICS * Albania July 2022 * | Last updated: 2022-09-19 11535 UTC

20220909-TLP-WHITE_Albania-July-2022.md

Offensive Cyber Operation against Albania networks by Iran

General

• An offensive cyber operation against Albania government & medias networks occured the 15th July weekend.
• Quickly the AKSHI announced they were forced to disconnect public services & government websites from Internet.
• Mandiant cyber security company in a blog post attributed the activity to LIKELY an iranian threat actor.
• Albania Prime Minister offcially attributed the offensive cyber operation gainst its country to Iran.
• Albania government severed the diplomatic relationship with Iran the 7th September with immediate effect.
• Iran embassy personnel must leave the country.
• Nota: The response to this event depends, some says they're supportive of the Iran attribution, some not.

Others sanctions

United States

• https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0941

Cyber Security blog posts

• Likely Iranian Threat Actor Conducts Politically Motivated Disruptive Activity Against Albanian Government Organizations
• Microsoft investigates Iranian attacks against the Albanian government

Statements

Albania

• Albania Prime Minister public speech
• Message of Prime Minister Edi Rama, regarding the decision of the Albanian government, as a response to the cyber attack against the digital infrastructure of the Government of the Republic of Albania

Iran

• Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman rejects US, UK accusations of cyberattacks
• Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman voices concern over reported mistreatment of Iranian embassy staff in Albania
• The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns Albania’s anti-Iran measure
• https://twitter.com/Iran_UN/status/1567931723089936388

Interational bodies

NATO

• https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_207156.htm

EU

• https://www.consilium.europa.eu/cs/press/press-releases/2022/09/08/cyber-attacks-declaration-by-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-european-union-expressing-solidarity-with-albania-and-concern-following-the-july-malicious-cyber-activities/

Countries

Australia

• https://www.dfat.gov.au/news/media-release/cyber-attacks-against-albania

Canada

• https://twitter.com/CanadaNATO/status/1567864632085303297

Czech

• https://twitter.com/NUKIB_CZ/status/1568238344710094849
• https://twitter.com/mzvcr/status/1568183561802457088

Denmark

• https://twitter.com/DanishMFA/status/1568227103501328384

Estonia

• https://twitter.com/MFAestonia/status/1567521469973889025

France

• https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/albania/news/article/albania-q-a-8-sep-22

Germany

• https://twitter.com/GERonCyber/status/1567524272419082240

Israel

• https://twitter.com/IsraelMFA/status/1567886076827635713

Italy

• https://ambtirana.esteri.it/ambasciata_tirana/it/ambasciata/news/dall_ambasciata/2022/09/l-italia-condanna-gli-attacchi.html

Kosovo

• https://twitter.com/MFAKOSOVO/status/1567970560898105344

Latvia

• https://www.mfa.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/ziemelatlantijas-padome-pauz-nosodijumu-kiberuzbrukumiem-albanijas-informacijas-un-komunikacijas-tehnologiju-infrastrukturai

Netherlands

• https://twitter.com/DutchMFA/status/1568204510052352000
• https://twitter.com/WBHoekstra/status/1567528076757573638

North Macedonia

• https://twitter.com/Bujar_O/status/1567465142325051396

Norway

• https://twitter.com/NorwayMFA/status/1568253118000906241

Poland

• https://twitter.com/PLinNATO/status/1567853188664918019

Romania

• https://twitter.com/MAERomania/status/1567521339128307717

Saudi Arabia

• https://twitter.com/KSAmofaEN/status/1568301718966013952

Slovenia

• https://twitter.com/MZZRS/status/1567860848705536006

Spain

• https://www.exteriores.gob.es/en/Comunicacion/Comunicados/Paginas/2022_COMUNICADOS/20220909_COMU056.aspx

United Kingdom

• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-condemns-iran-for-reckless-cyber-attack-against-albania

United States

• https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/07/statement-by-nsc-spokesperson-adrienne-watson-on-irans-cyberattack-against-albania/

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