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Politico
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Bank hacks, internet shutdowns and crypto heists: Here's how the war between Israel and Iran is playing out in cyberspace
The war between Iran and Israel has already expanded from the battlefield into cyberspace. The conflict between the two Middle East adversaries has so far largely played out in public view, with hundreds of missiles and drones causing mass casualties across major cities. But Iran and Israel have also been launching cyber attacks against one another from the shadows — which officials are now warning may soon spill over onto U.S. targets. Overnight strikes by the U.S. against Iranian nuclear facilities have heightened the threat environment, and Iran could retaliate by hacking into U.S. electrical grids, water plants, and other critical sectors. 'Cyber is one of the tools of Iran's asymmetric warfare,' said Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. The National Terrorism Advisory System warned Sunday of a range of Iranian threats to the U.S., including attacks on 'poorly secured U.S. networks and Internet-connected devices.' 'Low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against U.S. networks.' Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine told reporters on Sunday that U.S. Cyber Command was helping support the strikes, although he did not elaborate on its involvement. A spokesperson for U.S. Cyber Command did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the main U.S. cyber defense agency, declined to comment. Critical infrastructure groups last week called on U.S. companies to proactively step up their defenses in anticipation of an attack. Former CISA Director Jen Easterly posted on LinkedIn on Sunday that U.S. critical infrastructure organizations should have their 'shields up' and be prepared for malicious cyber activity. 'While it's unclear whether its cyber capabilities were at all impacted by recent Israeli strikes, Iran has a track record of retaliatory cyber operations targeting civilian infrastructure, including: water systems; financial institutions; energy pipelines; government networks; and more,' she wrote. Both Iran and Israel are considered global cyber powers and have traded barbs online, particularly in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. An Iranian gang claimed responsibility for hacking into an Israeli hospital and stealing patient data in 2023, and an Israeli hacking group followed by shutting down large swaths of Iran's gas stations. But Israel's cyber capabilities are widely considered more sophisticated. 'The Iranians … are good, they are emerging, but I don't think they're at the level of the Israelis or Americans,' Vatanka said. Some of the most aggressive efforts over the past week have been cyberattacks against major financial institutions in Iran and disinformation campaigns aimed at causing chaos and confusion in Israel. A pro-Israeli hacking group known as Predatory Sparrow claimed credit for a cyberattack last week on Iran's Bank Sepah, which caused widespread account issues for customers. The group also later claimed credit for draining around $90 million from Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, and for posting stolen Nobitex source code lists on the social media platform X. Hackers also targeted Iranian news stations. Videos circulated online appeared to show Iranian state TV broadcasting anti-regime messages last week. The Iranian government shut down the nation's internet in response to the attacks late last week, a blackout that was largely still ongoing on Sunday. 'Gaining control of the flow of information is certainly to be expected from the regime … they suspect that there is maybe an attempt to mobilize public attention,' Vatanka said. Top Iranian officials and their security teams were also advised last week to stop using internet-connected devices, in particular telecommunication devices, to protect against potential Israeli disruptions. Last year, thousands of pagers used by the Iranian proxy militant group Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon, leaving thousands injured. One reason Israel's cyberattacks may have been more effective in this round of fighting is that Israel struck Iranian facilities first, giving it more time to prepare its offensive and defensive options before Iran could retaliate. Iran and its proxy organizations are fighting back, albeit on a smaller scale. Israel's National Cyber Directorate warned Israelis abroad on Saturday not to fill out forms on malicious websites that are seeking to gather intelligence on these individuals. Gil Messing, chief of staff for Israeli cyber company Check Point Software, said Saturday just before the U.S. strikes that his company had tracked cyber and disinformation campaigns against Israel 'escalating a bit,' though no new major attacks had been reported. Messing said that there was a 'flood of disinformation' pouring onto social media last week, including messages discouraging Israelis from entering shelters during attacks and erroneous texts about gas and supply shortages. Israel's civilian cyber defense agency warned that Iran was renewing its efforts to hack into internet-connected cameras for espionage purposes. John Hultquist, chief analyst for Google Threat Intelligence Group, posted on X on Saturday shortly after the attacks that Iranian cyber forces usually use their 'cyberattack capability for psychological purposes.' 'I'm most concerned about cyber espionage against our leaders and surveillance aided by compromises in travel, hospitality, telecommunications, and other sectors where data could be used to identify and physically track persons of interest,' Hultquist wrote.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump opens door to regime change in Iran
President Trump on Sunday suggested regime change in Iran if the current one is 'unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN.' 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' Trump said in a Truth Social post. Trump's comments follow his announcement Saturday the United States had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, stepping into a conflict between Iran and Israel that kicked off on June 13 amid already heightened tensions in the region over Israel's war in Gaza and Iran's nuclear capability. In a late Saturday address, the president said, 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,' Trump added. The United States warned of a 'heightened threat environment' following Trump's ordering of strikes on the three Iranian nuclear sites. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) bulletin Sunday, giving a heads-up to the public to the possibility of cyberattacks done by those who back Iran or are affiliated with its government. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on Wednesday pushed for the U.S. to not 'engage in regime change in Iran.' 'Our focus should only be on our national security. The Iranian regime has threatened the US with nuclear production for years,' Haley, who served in the first term of the president, said.
The Hill
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
US warns of ‘heightened threat environment' after strikes on Iran
The United States is warning of a 'heightened threat environment' after President Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday evening. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) bulletin on Sunday, alerting the public to the potential of cyberattacks carried out by those who support Iran or are affiliated with the Iranian government. 'The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks,' the bulletin read. The bulletin also noted that the Iranian government, in recent years, has sought to target U.S. government officials it deems responsible for killing the former Iranian military officer, Qasem Soleimani. 'The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,' the bulletin read. The bulletin warned that the ongoing conflict 'could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks' on U.S. soil that are 'motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment.' 'It is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict. The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crimes,' DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement to The Hill. Trump announced Saturday evening that U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear sites and said to Iran in a social media post, 'NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!' The bombs targeted three nuclear sites in Natanz, Esfahan and Fordow, located inside a mountain. Six 'bunker buster' bombs were reportedly dropped on Fordow, while more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles were launched at the other two sites. The bombings put the U.S. directly in Iran's crosshairs for retaliation and made it an active participant in the Mideast war, which Israel launched with airstrikes against Iran on June 13.
NDTV
8 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Advisory Warns Of 'Heightened Threat Environment' In US After Iran Strikes
Washington: An advisory from the US Department of Homeland Security warned on Sunday of a "heightened threat environment in the United States" following overnight US military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. Rights advocates have already noted heightened Islamophobia and antisemitism in the US since the start of US ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 2023 attack by Palestinian group Hamas. The DHS issued Sunday's bulletin through its National Terrorism Advisory System and said the ongoing Iran conflict was causing the heightened threat environment. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by "pro-Iranian hacktivists" are likely, the bulletin said, adding cyber actors affiliated with Iran's government may also conduct cyber attacks. "The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland," the bulletin said. US President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites with massive bunker-busting bombs, joining Israel's assault against its Middle East rival. The Israel-Iran war began with Israel's attacks on Iran on June 13. Local US authorities said late on Saturday they remained vigilant, adding there were no known credible threats. In Los Angeles, Washington and New York City, law enforcement agencies said they stepped up patrols and deployed additional resources to religious, cultural and diplomatic sites. The Israel-Iran war could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks, the bulletin said, noting earlier attacks that it called antisemitic and anti-Israeli. Recent US incidents that have raised alarm over antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes include the fatal Washington shooting of two Israeli embassy employees and a Colorado attack that wounded eight people when a suspect threw incendiary devices into a pro-Israeli crowd. Incidents that increased concerns about anti-Muslim prejudice include the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois, the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl in Texas and a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California.
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Advisory warns of 'heightened threat environment' in US after Iran strikes
FILE PHOTO: A \"No war on Iran\" banner is held as people attend an anti-war demonstration in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 21, 2025. REUTERS/David Swanson/File Photo Advisory warns of 'heightened threat environment' in US after Iran strikes WASHINGTON - An advisory from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned on Sunday of a "heightened threat environment in the United States" following overnight U.S. military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. Rights advocates have already noted heightened Islamophobia and antisemitism in the U.S. since the start of U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. The DHS issued Sunday's bulletin through its National Terrorism Advisory System and said the ongoing Iran conflict was causing the heightened threat environment. Low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks by "pro-Iranian hacktivists" are likely, the bulletin said, adding cyber actors affiliated with Iran's government may also conduct cyber attacks. "The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland," the bulletin said. U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites with massive bunker-busting bombs, joining Israel's assault against its Middle East rival. The Israel-Iran war began with Israel's attacks on Iran on June 13. Local U.S. authorities said late on Saturday they remained vigilant, adding there were no known credible threats. In Los Angeles, Washington and New York City, law enforcement agencies said they stepped up patrols and deployed additional resources to religious, cultural and diplomatic sites. The Israel-Iran war could contribute to U.S.-based individuals plotting additional attacks, the bulletin said, noting earlier attacks that it called antisemitic and anti-Israeli. Recent U.S. incidents that have raised alarm over antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes include the fatal Washington shooting of two Israeli embassy employees and a Colorado attack that wounded eight people when a suspect threw incendiary devices into a pro-Israeli crowd. Incidents that increased concerns about anti-Muslim prejudice include the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois, the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl in Texas and a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
