Montenegro Arrests Iran-Linked Hacker Wanted by US

Montenegrin authorities have arrested a 39-year-old suspect, identified only as A.B., in the tourist town of Kotor. The arrest is part of a broader US effort to disrupt cyber operations allegedly carried out on behalf of Iranian state interests. The suspect, who holds both Iranian and Turkish citizenship, is wanted by a federal court in New York on charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, and identity theft.

According to Montenegrin police, A.B. has been involved in large-scale hacking attacks since 2013, targeting over 150 US universities and causing an estimated $3.4 billion in damages. Authorities claim that the stolen data and access to compromised university accounts were used to benefit Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian entities, including universities.

The arrest was a result of cooperation between the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Montenegrin authorities. The FBI has not yet commented on the arrest. The suspect is scheduled to appear before a court in Podgorica, where judges will consider the US request for his extradition.

US authorities have repeatedly issued warnings about Iranian state-linked cyber operations targeting critical infrastructure. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies have noted an increase in Iranian hacking campaigns in recent months, highlighting ongoing concerns about cyber threats emanating from Iran.