An Iranian hacking group has ramped up its threats to launch cyberattacks on American water supplies if the US continues to strike the Islamic Republic’s infrastructure.
A Telegram post from hackers warned: ‘Past experience has shown that this warning is testable and there have been incidents involving US water infrastructure in the past. Therefore, it is emphasised to avoid threatening iran‘s water infrastructure.
‘Failure to heed this warning will result in irreparable damages to the other party.’
Iran-linked hackers – who initially kept a low profile after the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes against the Islamic Republic last month – have increasingly boasted of their cyber operations as the conflict drags on and have already claimed responisbilty for cyberattacks.
Just yesterday, the FBI Iran-linked hackers admitted to breaking into the bureau’s Director Kash Patel’s personal inbox.
On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team said Patel ‘will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims.’
The hackers published a series of personal photographs of Patel sniffing and smoking cigars, riding in an antique convertible, and making a face while taking a picture of himself in the mirror with a large bottle of rum.
Gil Messing, chief of staff at Israeli cyber-security company Check Point, said the hack-and-leak operation against Patel was part of Iran’s strategy to embarrass U.S. officials and ‘make them feel vulnerable.’
It comes after Donald Trump vowed to strike Iran’s power plants if it does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran had threatened to retaliate against the region’s vital infrastructure, like desalination facilities, if Trump followed through.
Iran has invested heavily in its offensive cyber capabilities while cultivating ties to hacking groups.
Since war broke out last month, Iran has also tried to penetrate cameras in Middle Eastern countries to improve Iran’s missile targeting.
They have targeted data centers in the region, as well as industrial facilities in Israel, a school in Saudi Arabia and an airport in Kuwait, according to reports.
In recent years, groups working for Tehran have infiltrated the email system of President Donald Trump’s campaign, targeted US water plants and tried to breach the networks used by the military and defense contractors.
Experts say their goal is to wear down the American war effort, drive up the costs of energy, strain cyber resources and cause as much pain as possible for American companies that depend on the defense industry.
Pro-Iranian, pro-Palestinian hackers claimed credit for disrupting systems at Stryker, a Michigan-based medical technology company.
A group known as Handala said the attack was in retaliation for suspected US strikes that killed Iranian schoolchildren.
