Amid growing geopolitical tensions, U.S. authorities have reported a sharp increase in cyberattacks linked to Iranian hackers targeting critical infrastructure systems. The alert highlights rising risks to essential services and industrial control environments.
According to a joint advisory issued by agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, attackers are focusing on publicly exposed programmable logic controllers and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. These systems are widely used to monitor and control infrastructure operations.
The advisory stated that hackers are attempting to cause “disruptive effects within the United States,” adding that “In a few cases, this activity has resulted in operational disruption and financial loss.”
Officials said attackers have been manipulating system data, including altering display information and extracting project-related data from targeted devices. The campaigns have affected organisations across multiple sectors, including government services, water and wastewater systems, and energy infrastructure.
The warning comes during heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Donald Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not reach an agreement with the U.S., while Iran indicated it could target additional infrastructure in Gulf countries.
The advisory was jointly issued by multiple agencies, including the FBI, NSA, CISA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force. Officials have not disclosed the names of affected organisations, and the FBI declined to provide further comments.
The development highlights the increasing use of cyber operations in geopolitical conflicts, with critical infrastructure systems becoming key targets during periods of escalation.
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