A chief analyst for Google’s Threat Intelligence Group warns that Iran is likely to unleash widespread cyberattacks as the conflict in the Middle East drags on.
John Hultquist described the threat as multifaceted, spanning state actors, allied hackers, and sympathetic hacktivists who could exploit various digital fronts to disrupt targets.
He noted that some nations targeted by Tehran may not have the same cybersecurity resilience as allies such as Israel and the United States, according to reports cited in Infosecurity Magazine.
In the United Kingdom, authorities have urged organizations to take action to bolster defenses amid ongoing hostilities, while Reuters reported a wave of hacks that affected apps used by Iranians in the early stages of the conflict.
A blog by Sophos warned that cyber threats tend to rise during periods of regional tension and urged organizations to review detection, incident response, and resiliency measures to withstand disruptive operations.