US-backed cyber-attack response centre opens in Albania

The launch of the centre is part of a broader programme worth $50 million to support Albania's cybersecurity, the embassy said in a Facebook post.

Deployed by IBM Security QRadar Suite, the centre is able to implement ongoing operations to detect, mitigate and respond to cyber attacks against critical IT defensive infrastructure, it added.

In July 2022, Albania faced a series of cyber attacks which rendered government websites and services unavailable through destructive malware.

In September, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said in a joint statement that the attacks had been carried out by Iranian state cyber actors.

In response, the US department of the treasury announced sanctions against Iran’s intelligence and security ministry (MOIS) for cyber attacking Albania, a country member of the NATO alliance. Measures included assets freezing and prohibition of individuals and entities within the United States from engaging in transactions with designated MOIS entities.

($=0.913 euro)