The new sanctions list includes two China-based technology companies, two of their co-founders, and an Iranian firm, all implicated in a range of attacks from corporate espionage and critical infrastructure disruption to disinformation campaigns.
The Council of the European Union has sanctioned three entities and two individuals for their involvement in significant cyber attacks targeting EU member states and partners.
The new sanctions list includes two China-based technology companies, two of their co-founders, and an Iranian firm, all implicated in a range of attacks from corporate espionage and critical infrastructure disruption to disinformation campaigns.
China-Based Firms Targeted for Hacking Services
The EU Council specifically named Integrity Technology Group, a company based in China, for routinely providing products used to compromise and access devices across the EU and globally. According to the Council, the firm’s technical and material support led to more than 65,000 devices being compromised across six EU states between 2022 and 2023.
Also, another China-based company, Anxun Information Technology, was listed for providing sophisticated hacking services aimed at critical infrastructure and essential state functions within EU member states and third countries. The two listed Chinese individuals are co-founders of Anxun and were allegedly responsible for, and involved in, the cyber attacks affecting EU member states.
Iranian and Chinese threat actors are among the more active and capable groups on the landscape, and the EU and authorities in the United States have sanctioned a variety of companies and people in both countries.
Iranian Firm Sanctioned for Disinformation and Data Theft
The Iranian company Emennet Pasargad also faces sanctions for two major incidents:
Also, Emennet Pasargad was found to have allegedly compromised a Swedish SMS service, impacting a large number of EU citizens.
Sanctions Imposed
All of the entities and individuals are now subject to an asset freeze, which blocks their funds, financial assets, and economic resources within the EU. Additionally, EU citizens and companies are banned from making funds or economic resources available to them. The people named also face a travel ban, prohibiting their entry into or transit through EU territories.
With today’s additions, the EU horizontal cyber sanctions regime now applies to 19 individuals and seven entities.
"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 Council said.
