Iran-linked hackers may target US firms and critical infrastructure, US government warns
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US soldiers participating in the annual international military exercise Baltops 25 in Ventspils, Latvia, on June 16.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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WASHINGTON – Iranian-affiliated hackers may target US companies and critical infrastructure operators, particularly defence organisations with holdings or relationships with Israeli research and defence firms, according to an advisory from US government officials June 30.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, the Department of Defence Cyber Crime Centre and the Department of Homeland Security’s civilian cyber-security defence wing said in a statement issued alongside the advisory that while there are no indications of a coordinated Iranian-linked malicious cyber campaign so far, organisations should ensure their defences are up to date.
“Despite a declared ceasefire and ongoing negotiations towards a permanent solution, Iranian-affiliated cyber actors and hacktivist groups may still conduct malicious cyber activity,” the agencies said in the advisory.
Cyber-security researchers and defenders in Israel and the US have so far seen little Iranian-linked cyber activity of consequence in the wake of the war launched by Israel June 13
Iranian state-sponsored hackers are known to exploit existing vulnerabilities in unpatched or outdated software and compromise internet-connected accounts and devices that use default or weak passwords, as well as work with ransomware operators to encrypt, steal and leak sensitive information, the agencies said on June 30.
In November 2023, hackers said by the US government to be affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards hacked equipment located in water and wastewater treatment systems in multiple states.
The attacks targeted an Israeli-made device and came shortly after the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. REUTERS
