NATO condemns malicious cyber-attack on Albania but fails to identify Iran as its sponsor

Tirana, Albania – | 08 Sept 2022 (Tirana Echo) – NATO has condemned the malicious cyber-attack on Albania, which saw the small Balkan country cut diplomatic relations with Iran, which it blames for sponsoring the massive attack on its national civil registry and government online systems.

While the NATO statement expressed solidarity with Albania, its members fell short of pointing the finger towards Iran’s regime, opting instead for a more lukewarm statement, acknowledging the statements of Albania and other Allies in attributing the responsibility to the Government of Iran.

“We stand in solidarity with Albania following the recent cyber attack on its national information infrastructure. Allies acknowledge the statements by Albania and other Allies attributing the responsibility for the cyber attack to the Government of Iran. We strongly condemn such malicious cyber activities designed to destabilize and harm the security of an Ally, and disrupt the daily lives of citizens. NATO and Allies support Albania in strengthening its cyber defense capabilities to withstand and repel such malicious cyber activities in the future.” – read the statement on NATO’s website.

The July cyber-attack which affected Albania’s public and government websites and databases brought down the entire e-Albania system and allegedly compromised sensitive data of Albanian citizens and foreign residents in the small Balkan country., was first thought to be a Russian act according to local media, taking into account Albania’s clear support towards Ukraine.

However, a later international investigation revealed that Teheran was behind the mega-attack according to the country’s Prime Minister, who subsequently announced that his country was cutting diplomatic relations with Iran, giving its diplomatic staff in Tirana 24 hours to leave the country.

“Following close cooperation with international anti digital terror agencies, we have managed to establish beyond doubt that the 15 July cyberattack on Albania, was not an individual operation, but a clear aggression from a state actor. The thorough investigation has now provided us with uncontested proof that cyber-aggression against our country was organized and sponsored by the Islamic Republic of Iran” – said PM Edi Rama in a live press conference in Tirana.

Relations between Albania and Iran have been increasingly tense over the past years. Teheran abhors Albania’s decision to host all members of Iran’s resistance Mujaheddin-e Khalq movement (MEK), whose followers have been allowed to settle in the country after their lives were put in danger in camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq.

Several senior US and other western politicians have praised Albania’s decision to host MEK members and its decision in 2018 to expel Iran’s Ambassador to Tirana on national security grounds.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied the allegations of sponsoring the cyber-attack, calling them baseless.

“As one of the countries that have been subject to cyber attacks on its critical infrastructure, the Islamic Republic of Iran opposes and condemns any use of cyberspace as a means to attack the infrastructure of other countries,” an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said, adding that Albania is influenced by third parties who support terrorism like the US and Israel.

However, NATO members confirmed through their latest statement in Brussels that the Alliance is committed to protecting their critical infrastructure, building resilience and bolstering their cyber-defenses given a terrain where “malign actors seek to degrade our critical infrastructure, interfere with our government services, extract intelligence, steal intellectual property and impede our military activities.”

It is yet unclear what concrete plans NATO member have to bolster their cyber-defenses and what further assistance Albania will receive from the Alliance.