Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) on Thursday would require the Obama administration to impose sanctions on hackers linked to the Iranian government.
The Iran Cyber Sanctions Act, H.R. 5222, would compel the Obama administration to act on a 2015 executive order that gave the Treasury Department authority to sanction individuals who engage in cyberattacks against the United States.
“The danger posed by Iran’s increasingly sophisticated cyber capabilities has grown significantly over the past few years, and we must take these threats seriously,” Ratcliffe said. “However, just talking about the need to fight back against malicious cyber actors isn’t enough – the administration must follow through with forceful action that shows we mean business when it comes to defending our critical infrastructure and protecting Americans’ personal information.”
The Department of Justice announced in March that it had indicted seven hackers with ties to the Iranian government who directed attacks at American banks and a dam in New York.
“The attacks by the Iran-linked hackers confirmed concerns previously voiced by top experts regarding the country’s malicious intent,” Ratcliffe said. “Iran’s actions as a cyber aggressor prove the need to take swift action before its cyber capabilities become even more sophisticated.”
Ratcliffe noted a recent meeting in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “deep concerns” that Iran could use funds from its nuclear agreement to enhance its cyber capabilities.
“This reinforced the necessity of using sanctions as a tool in deterring such destructive behavior that so greatly threatens our national security,” Ratcliffe said.
A nearly identical Senate version of the legislation, the Iran Cyber Sanctions Act of 2016, S. 2756, was introduced last month by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD).