Maggie Miller
The organizations representing critical networks that keep the lights on, the water running and transportation systems humming across the U.S. are bracing for a possible surge of Iranian cyberattacks.
Virtually every critical infrastructure sector is on high alert amid a deepening conflict between Iran and Israel, though no major new cyber threat activity has been publicly reported so far.
As these groups proactively step up their defenses, it’s unclear whether Washington is coordinating with them on security efforts — a change from prior moments of geopolitical unrest, when federal agencies have played a key role in sounding the alarm.
“Iranian cyber activity has not been as extensive outside of the Middle East but could shift in light of the military actions,” said John Hultquist, chief analyst for Google Threat Intelligence Group.
As the conflict evolves — and particularly if the U.S. decides to strike Iran directly — “targets in the United States could be reprioritized for action by Iran’s cyber threat capability,” he said.
During previous periods of heightened geopolitical tension, U.S. agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, stepped up to warn the operators of vital U.S. networks about emerging threats. Ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, CISA launched its “Shields Up” program to raise awareness about potential risks to U.S. companies emanating from the impending war.
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