US Offers $10 Million Reward for IRGC Cyber Chief Linked to Critical Infrastructure Attacks

The U. S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Amir Yaryab, an official in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC).

The offer seeks information about people acting for a foreign government who conduct malicious cyber activity against U. S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. U. S. authorities allege that Yaryab leads the IRGC-CEC Cyber Operations Command.

RFJ identifies Yaryab as directing the Shahid Hemmat and Shahid Shushtari components, which are linked to cyber and cyber-enabled information operations targeting organizations in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

US Offers $10 Million Reward for IRGC Cyber Chief Linked

The alleged targeting spans the defense, media, shipping, travel, energy, financial services, and telecommunications sectors, where disruption can have economic consequences.

RFJ says Yaryab oversees IRGC-CEC-affiliated entities including CyberAv3ngers, Dadeh Afzar Arman (DAA), and Mehrsam Andisheh Saz Nik (MASN).

CyberAv3ngers has become particularly notable for activity against operational technology (OT), showing how exposed industrial control devices can shift from conventional IT targets to cyber-physical risks.

In late 2023, IRGC-affiliated actors using the CyberAv3ngers persona targeted internet-exposed Unitronics Vision Series programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs).

These devices are used in water and wastewater environments and other critical-infrastructure settings.

A joint FBI, CISA, NSA, EPA, and international-partner advisory says the campaign compromised at least 75 Unitronics devices between November 2023 and January 2024, including at least 34 in the U. S. water and wastewater sector.

The intrusion path was straightforward.

The U. S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or whereabouts of Amir Yaryab, a senior figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC).

U. S. officials allege that Yaryab oversees the command’s Cyber Operations Command, managing cyber units responsible for attacks on critical infrastructure across the U. S. , Europe, and the Middle East.

This reward is part of broader efforts to combat malicious cyber activities targeting U. S. critical infrastructure, as outlined under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

U. S. Offers $10 Million Reward

Yaryab is said to lead various components within the IRGC-CEC known as Shahid Hemmat and Shahid Shushtari, both involved in cyber and cyber-enabled information campaigns against multiple sectors, including defense, telecommunications, energy, and finance.

U. S. authorities have linked Yaryab to several IRGC-affiliated groups, including CyberAv3ngers and Dadeh Afzar Arman (DAA), which have been implicated in malware incidents and assaults on civilian infrastructure worldwide.

This recent announcement has intensified scrutiny on the Iranian cyber command, especially as operational technology systems remain vulnerable to internet-based threats. The alert correlates with past warnings about CyberAv3ngers targeting industrial control systems.

A joint advisory issued by CISA, the FBI, NSA, EPA, and international collaborators revealed that IRGC-connected actors began compromising Israeli-made Unitronics Vision Series programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in late 2023 . These devices are essential in various sectors, including water treatment, energy, transportation, and healthcare.

Reports indicate that between November 2023 and January 2024, CyberAv3ngers initiated multiple waves of attacks against U. S. based Unitronics PLCs, compromising at least 75 devices, 34 of which were in the U. S.