The Obama administration on Thursday indicted seven Iranians directly tied to the Iranian government for a series of coordinated cyber-attacks against the U.S. financial sector and for infiltrating a New York dam in 2013.
To critics of the White House’s handling of Iran, though, the move confirms Obama’s long-standing failure to recognize the country’s cyberspace aggression.
 “Every person who voted to support the Iran nuclear deal knew fully well Iran’s bad behavior,” Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who is working on a bill to sanction Iran for its cyber activity, told The Hill when news of the pending indictments leaked earlier this month. “There is no surprise that Iran has committed cyber-attacks against the United States.”
Security experts started warning years ago that Iran’s cyber warriors have already infiltrated critical networks in over a dozen countries, including the U.S.
“These guys aren’t motivated by traditional espionage intelligence, like China, or financial gain, like Russian fraudsters,” said Jon Miller, vice president of strategy at security firm Cylance, which published a groundbreaking 2014 report on the extent of Iranian hacking. “They’re looking for a strategic, militaristic upper hand.”
Iran started ramping up its cyber efforts in 2010, shortly after a computer worm — believed to be built by the U.S. and Israel — damaged the country’s nuclear infrastructure.
“They’re having no challenges whatsoever successfully exploiting worldwide critical infrastructure — corporations, devices, really whatever they put in their sights — and it’s because the bar to compromise is so low,” he added.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.)

Obama’s critics alleged the administration kept this information under wraps while the Iran nuclear deal was being hammered out.
“I’m concerned this information was not broadly shared during the Iran negotiations,” Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) told The Hill after news broke of the upcoming indictments, adding that the timing was “absolutely” suspect.
“The White House knew about it, and why weren’t they talking about this?” he added.
Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, pushed back at these allegations during Thursday’s press conference.
“We bring a case when it’s right to bring the case for the needs of the case itself,” he said. “There are a lot of considerations that go into the timing.”
Now, observers are watching to see if the Obama administration will tie the indictments to a new round of sanctions on Iran.
President Obama last year issued an executive order that empowered the Treasury Department to levy sanctions for hacking. But the administration has yet to yield its new powers. Many suspect the Iranian dam hack may be the first test case.
“Are we going to impose sanctions on Iran in any meaningful way?” Kagan asked. “If we don’t impose a cost on them, then just naming them gives them street cred in Tehran.”

Source: HILL, March 25