Cyber Commands hunt forward operation in Albania due to Iranian attacks

Two Iran-linked cyberattacks against Albania have prompted the U.S. Cyber Command's Cyber National Mission Force to deploy a 'hunt forward' operation to help defend the Albanian government's networks, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Albania first had its government services disrupted in a cyberattack in July, prior to a conference that was poised to be attended by members of the Iranian resistance organization Mujahideen-e Khalq, which Iran considers a terrorist group, while the second attack claimed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to have been conducted by the same attackers compromised its Total Information Management System. "These hunts bring us closer to adversary activity to better understand and then defend ourselves, but they also bring the U.S. closer to our partners and allies," said CNMF Commander Army Maj. Gen. William Hartman. The U.S.'s operation in Albania has been praised by National Agency for Information Society General Director Mirlinda Karcanaj. "The cooperation with U.S. Cyber Command was very effective and made us feel safe by assuring that we have followed all the right steps in responding to these sophisticated attacks," said Karcanaj.