The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that could lead to the location of Amir Yariab, a senior official accused of overseeing cyber operations for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The US Department of State announced the reward through its Rewards for Justice programme as Washington intensifies efforts to identify and disrupt individuals allegedly involved in Iranian cyber activities.
Yariab is identified as the head of the Cyber Operations Command under the IRGC’s Cyber-Electronic Command.
US authorities said he oversees several units and organisations linked to the command, which they accuse of conducting cyber and information operations against critical infrastructure in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
The alleged targets include defence organisations, media outlets, shipping companies, hotels, airlines, energy firms, financial institutions and telecommunications networks.
The reward comes amid growing US efforts to prosecute Iranian nationals accused of carrying out cyberattacks and stealing sensitive information.
In August, the US Department of Justice charged 17 members of Iran-based Mabna Institute over an alleged cyber-intrusion campaign that had operated since 2013.
According to US prosecutors, the campaign targeted 144 universities in the United States and 178 universities in other countries.
At least 42 US companies, 11 foreign companies, five US federal and state agencies and two non-governmental organisations were also allegedly affected.
The Justice Department said the hackers stole more than 31 terabytes of academic research and intellectual property from universities. They were also accused of accessing email accounts belonging to employees of targeted companies, government agencies and NGOs.
US prosecutors alleged that 17 defendants carried out many of the intrusions on behalf of the IRGC and other Iranian organisations.
Nine of the individuals had previously been charged in a seven-count indictment announced in March 2018.
The case is being handled by Jesse M. Furman, a judge at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Those facing charges could receive prison sentences ranging from two to 20 years if convicted.
