Heightened Cyber Threat from Iran Sparks Urgent Calls for Vigilance and Mitigation – Source: securityboulevard.com

Following last week’s U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites, cybersecurity experts and government officials are now warning of a possible digital retaliation, a surge in cyber threats originating from Iran. On June 22, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin warning of a “heightened threat environment” in the United States, with Iranian state-sponsored hackers and pro-Iran hacktivists expected to increase their targeting of American networks and critical infrastructure.

Iranian cyber actors have a history of targeting U.S. interests. Recently, Iranian threat actors have reportedly breached U.S. water utilities, stolen sensitive documents from political campaigns, and launched distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against American aerospace, oil, gas, and telecommunications companies. Notably, Iranian groups have targeted poorly secured U.S. networks and internet-connected devices, often aiming to disrupt critical infrastructure and sow discord.

In 2024, Iranian hackers were implicated in stealing and distributing sensitive documents from inside President Donald Trump’s campaign. In late 2023, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Cyber-Electronic Command and affiliated “Cyber Av3ngers” gang breached U.S. water infrastructure in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel. An Iranian group also claimed responsibility for a DDoS attack that temporarily shut down Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, just after the announcement of the latest U.S. strikes on Iran.

“Iran has a history of targeting critical infrastructure during geopolitical tensions, as seen in the 2023 Cyber Av3ngers attacks on U.S. water facilities using Israeli-made tech. Expect a potential shift from Iran’s regional focus to U.S. and perhaps other countries as targets, with destructive tactics like DDoS attacks, website defacements, wiper malware and ransomware aimed at disrupting operations,” warned Theresa Payton, CEO at cybersecurity consultancy Fortalice, and former White House Chief Information Officer of the Executive Office of the President under the George W. Bush administration.

Payton also cautioned of intensified phishing and espionage attacks, hack and leak attacks, and misinformation. “Iranian state-sponsored groups are known for sophisticated spear-phishing and social engineering to steal sensitive data. Recent campaigns show increased precision, targeting defense, energy, and government sectors for espionage,” she said.

“Iran’s cyber strategy often includes psychological operations, such as hack-and-leak campaigns and AI-driven deepfakes, forgeries, misinformation, and disinformation to sow confusion and undermine trust,” Payton added.

Current Threat Level

The DHS advisory warns that “low-level cyberattacks 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.” While no specific imminent threat has been identified, the likelihood of disruptive cyberattacks has increased significantly in the wake of recent military actions. Iranian cyber operations are considered a significant threat to the security of U.S. networks and data, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s annual threat assessment, published in March 2025.

Recent Global Cyber Incidents

The latest round of hostilities between Israel and Iran has seen a dramatic expansion of cyber activity. Israel-linked groups, such as Predatory Sparrow, have conducted high-impact cyber strikes against Iranian financial infrastructure, including the state-owned Bank Sepah and Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. These attacks resulted in widespread service outages and the theft of over $90 million in cryptocurrency. In response, Iran has ramped up disinformation campaigns, psychological warfare, and hacktivist activity.

Iran has also reportedly exploited private security cameras in Israel to gather real-time intelligence, mirroring tactics seen in other global conflicts. Meanwhile, Iranian state television was hijacked mid-broadcast, airing protest messages in a move widely attributed to Israeli-linked cyber actors.

U.S. Government and Expert Mitigation Guidance

The DHS has urged organizations and individuals to remain vigilant, emphasizing that both state-affiliated and hacktivist groups routinely target poorly secured networks and devices. The agency’s bulletin highlights the need for robust cybersecurity practices, including:

• Patch and update all systems promptly to address known vulnerabilities.
• Implement strong access controls and multi-factor authentication.
• Monitor network traffic for unusual activity and signs of compromise.
• Educate employees on phishing and social engineering tactics.
• Prepare incident response plans to minimize disruption in the event of an attack.

Brian Soby, CTO and co-founder of SaaS security firm AppOmni, noted that the CISA advisory from October 2024 detailed the tactics, techniques, and procedures commonly used in Iranian operations, highlighting credential-based attacks that follow successful spear phishing or the use of credentials stolen in large-scale breaches. Soby warns that many organizations lack visibility across their cloud environments, which is necessary for successful defenses. Even though companies have identity management and cloud security measures in place, poor management of these tools and access credentials leaves them at significant risk. 

“These implementations are often incomplete. In many cases, attackers can bypass them by accessing applications directly with stolen credentials, rendering the protections ineffective. The result is often a false sense of security. Organizations believe they are protected, but they remain exposed to the same types of attacks that Iranian threat actors have repeatedly demonstrated,” Soby said.

“While not as advanced as Israel’s, Iran’s offensive cyber capabilities have improved, and there is concern they may collaborate with cyber operatives from Russia and China,” added Payton. “Activity in Israel shows a surge in DDoS, ransomware, and wiper attacks, indicating Iran’s ability to scale operations globally,” Payton concluded.

The combination of Iranian state-sponsored cyber capabilities and a surge in hacktivist activity poses a persistent threat to American networks and critical infrastructure. Proactive defense, employee awareness, and collaboration with government agencies are essential to mitigating these risks and safeguarding national security.

Payton advises security teams to discuss with their leadership teams the need for accelerated system maintenance, patching, and key security initiatives, as well as the importance of broadening defenses through measures such as multi-factor authentication, to counter potential phishing attacks. Organizations should also enhance real-time monitoring for Iranian tools, tactics, and procedures, and develop or update incident response plans to address data leaks and public-facing misinformation.

“If security teams have time and the resources, run a red-team exercise simulating an Iranian-style attack within the next two weeks. This will stress-test your detection and response capabilities and uncover gaps before a real attack hits,” Payton advised.