EU sanctions Chinese and Iranian companies for carrying out cyberattacks against Member States
The Council of the European Union has taken action against two Chinese tech companies, two Chinese nationals, and an Iranian tech company for executing cyberattacks.
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The Council of the European Union has taken action against two Chinese tech companies, two Chinese nationals, and an Iranian tech company for executing cyberattacks.
One of the companies blacklisted is the Chinese tech company Integrity Technology Group.
According to the Council of the European Union, the firm has routinely provided products used to compromise and access devices across Europe. Allegedly, over 65,000 devices were hacked between 2022 and 2023.
The second China-based tech company sanctioned is Anxun Information Technology. The Council claims that the company has provided hacking services aimed at disrupting the critical infrastructure and critical functions of several European Member States and third countries.
Two Chinese nationals have also been listed, as they are the co-founders of Anxun Information Technology and are involved in cyberattacks against European Member States.
Lastly, the Iranian company Emennet Pasargad is sanctioned for unlawfully gaining access to a French subscriber database and for advertising its content on the dark web. The firm also compromised advertising billboards to spread disinformation during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
On top of that, Emennet Pasargad compromised a Swedish SMS service, which impacted a large number of European citizens.
The entities and Chinese nationals are subject to an asset freeze. In addition, they are forbidden from making funds, financial assets, or economic resources available to them. The two banned people are prohibited from travelling to or transiting through the EU.
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“Today’s decision confirms the EU’s and its member states’ willingness to provide a strong and sustained response to persistent malicious cyber activities targeting the EU, its member states, and partners. The EU and its member states will continue to cooperate with our international partners to promote an open, free, stable, and secure cyberspace,” the Council of the European Union states in a press release.
The legal basis for the sanctions is the EU’s Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox, which was established in June 2017. It allows the EU and its Member States to implement restrictive measures to prevent, discourage, deter, and respond to malicious cyber activities targeting the security of the EU and its Member States.
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