DHS warns of Iranian cyber threats
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a bulletin through its National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) warning of Iran’s ability to carry out cyberattacks with “disruptive effects” against critical U.S. infrastructure.
In the bulletin, sent out in the wake of the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, DHS noted that while there is currently “no information indicating a specific, credible threat to the Homeland,” Iran does have the ability to attack the U.S. in cyberspace.
“Previous homeland-based plots have included, among other things, scouting and planning against infrastructure targets and cyber enabled attacks against a range of U.S.- based targets,” DHS wrote in the bulletin.
The agency noted that “Iran maintains a robust cyber program and can execute cyber attacks against the United States. Iran is capable, at a minimum, of carrying out attacks with temporary disruptive effects against critical infrastructure in the United States.”
Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf tweeted on Saturday that the bulletin was intended to “inform & reassure the American public, state/local governments & private partners that DHS is actively monitoring & preparing for any specific, credible threat, should one arise.”
The bulletin, which also warned of the potential for Iran to attempt to carry out terrorist attacks on the U.S., recommended that Americans implement basic measures to defend against cyberattacks, such as backing up data and using two-factor authentication on sensitive accounts.
