A landmark diplomatic agreement, which limits Iran's nuclear program, could indirectly advance the country's cyber warfare efforts.
On Tuesday, The Hill reported that the nuclear pact between the U.S., Iran and other nations left some lawmakers concerned as to how increased revenue in the country, freed up through sanctions relief, might impact cyber relations.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., for instance, told reporters that “potentially lifting the sanctions fuels [Iran's] support of terrorism, whether that's cyber, [or] whether it's conventional weapons purchases.”
Last year, FireEye noted that Iran-based hacker groups were becoming increasingly sophisticated and could evolve into a hacking superpower.
Furthermore, The Hill reported that, “Cyber experts have been sparring for months over what effects a successful nuclear pact might have on Iran's rapidly accelerating cyber program…Many believe the successful deal gives Iranian cyber warriors incentive to spare the U.S. from their wrath.”
