The **U.S. State Department** has intensified its efforts against state-sponsored cyber threats, offering a substantial $10 million reward for information on **Amir Yaryab**. Yaryab is identified as a key figure within the **IRGC’s Cyber-Electronic Command (CEC)**, an entity U.S. officials assert is behind numerous malicious cyber activities. ### Directing Global Cyber Operations According to U.S. officials, **Yaryab** is responsible for overseeing and directing several Iranian hacking groups. These groups have reportedly targeted critical infrastructure across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, including sectors such as defense, news, shipping, travel, energy, and financial and telecommunications systems. ### Affiliated Malicious Cyber Groups The **State Department** explicitly named several groups allegedly under **Yaryab**'s control: **CyberAv3ngers**, **Dadeh Afzar Arman (DAA)**, and **Mehrsam Andisheh Saz Nik (MASN)**. These groups are accused of deploying malware to compromise civilian infrastructure worldwide. Additionally, **Yaryab** is said to direct **Shahid Hemmat** and **Shahid Shushtari**, two other groups implicated in cyberattacks against U.S. organizations. ### Focus on Water Utilities The **CyberAv3ngers** group gained notoriety for its alleged cyberattacks on water utilities in 2023 and 2024. These incidents prompted the **State Department** to issue a separate $10 million reward last year for information on the Iranian hackers behind the group. U.S. officials have raised alarms about renewed Iranian attacks on the water industry, noting breaches at over 100 entities across at least 12 states since late July. ### Broader Iranian Cyber Campaign The reward for **Yaryab** comes amid a broader pattern of aggressive cyber operations attributed to Tehran. Iranian hackers have claimed responsibility for attacks on a prominent medical device company and even the personal email account of the **FBI director**. Recently, the **Justice Department** accused military-linked Iranian hackers of breaching employee email accounts at the **Department of Labor**, the **Federal Energy Regulatory Commission**, and multiple **United Nations** organizations. The **Treasury Department** has also sanctioned numerous Iranian nationals for their involvement in cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, underscoring the coordinated nature of these efforts.