THE US is warning Americans to stay vigilant as cyberattacks may take place due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement warning the country about the possible ramifications of the US involvement in Iran.
Americans are being warned about a possible cyber attack[/caption]
“The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States,” the department began its statement.
“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.”
As the US continues to be involved in the Israel-Iran conflict, the department is warning that the likelihood of “violent extremists” performing cyberattacks is high.
The same warning was issued five years ago after the US killed a top Iranian official.
“Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020,” the DHS confirmed.
The DHS is urging Americans to watch out for “hacktivists” who “target poorly secured US networks and Internet-connected devices for disruptive cyber attacks.”
Hacktivism seems to be the preferred option, according to the Washington Post, as third-party hackers would carry out the attacks.
Since third parties would perform the cyber attacks, no hacking could be traced back to the Iranian government.
“Cyber attacking is probably, almost certainly part of their response portfolio,” David Hickton, the founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security, told CBS affiliate KDKA.
“When something like this happens, what you really watch for is the asymmetrical attack, the attack that doesn’t really match up tit for tat with the attack that they received.”
While no official reports of cyber attacks in the US have been confirmed yet, Iran did claim responsibility for attacks on Israel.
The country said it hacked Israel’s missile alert systems and leaked a think tank’s documents.
In 2012, Iran knocked out 30,000 computers of the Saudi Arabia-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco.
Since the US bombed Iran’s nuclear sites, pro-Iran X accounts have threatened cyber retaliation.
“Iran doesn’t have the military force projection to deliver ordnance to the US,” Adam Meyers, senior vice president at security firm CrowdStrike, told the Washington Post.
“Cyber is kind of the one thing to conduct operations on the US homeland and potentially not trigger a redline response.”
DHS full warning
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. Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020. 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. Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment, and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks.
Resources to stay safe:
Listen to local authorities and public safety officials.
- DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers cybersecurity best practices for securing US networks.
- The Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI) is a collaborative effort by DHS, the FBI, and law enforcement partners to identify and report threats of terrorism and other related criminal activity.
- If You See Something, Say Something® Report suspicious activity and threats of violence, including online threats, to local law enforcement, FBI Field Offices, or your local Fusion Center. Call 911 in case of emergency.
Hickton warned that Iran could target critical infrastructure, such as banks, the government itself, hospital systems, our transportation networks, including air traffic control, and our water supply.
“For people who live here, it would be a good idea to be at a heightened level of alert to take cybersecurity steps to protect themselves,” Hickton said.
To learn more about how to protect yourself from cyberattacks, the DHS recommends consulting America’s Cyber Defense Agency.
Americans are encouraged to contact local law enforcement if they notice any suspicious activity.
