Iran warns of hacks and global internet cuts if US strikes resume

If Iran resumes strikes against the United States, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warns of grave consequences, including hacks to global internet infrastructure, power plants, and US computer systems. Speaking with Iranian broadcaster Irib, Iranian official Hossein Mohebbi stated that hundreds of thousands of miles of energy transmission lines, hundreds of power plants, and digital systems interconnected to the internet could be compromised.

Multiple US water systems have reportedly faced hacking, believed to originate from Iran. Iran has increasingly become a hub for cybercrime in recent years. Since February, cyberattacks linked to Iran have targeted US services and businesses. In March, the Iran-linked cyber group Handala fulfilled its promise to attack the FBI by gaining access to director Kash Patel’s email and cloud services.

Subsequently, Handala was also responsible for a cyber assault on Michigan-based medical technology company Stryker, employing over 50,000 individuals globally. Following these incidents, the Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Agency issued a caution about a potential surge in cyberattacks against digital systems, urging operators to disconnect Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and internet-exposed operational technology assets to minimize risks of disruptions, configuration changes, and physical damage.

Prior to this year's conflict, experts and officials have emphasized Iran's extensive use of cyber warfare as a potent weapon. FBI cyber operations lead Brett Leatherman noted that while Iran and its proxies had not yet executed catastrophic attacks on the US, Tehran's efforts in this domain have escalated, and such an assault could be imminent.

"Destroying infrastructure by employing cyber weapons is akin to erasing information vital to a nation's sovereignty," Leatherman remarked. "That typically serves as a red line."