Iran - cyberattack against Israeli water supply
09/05/20 09:44 Filed in:
iran | Israel | covid-19 | USA | cyberAX INTEL BULLETIN: Iran - cyberattack against Israeli water supply
DATE: 09MAY2020
Iran is being linked to an attempted cyberattack last month aimed at disrupting water supplies in at least two locations in Israel as that country was seeking to contain a C-19 outbreak…
AX INTEL BULLETIN: Iran cyberattack against Israeli water supply
DATE: 09MAY2020
Iran is being linked to an attempted cyberattack last month aimed at disrupting water supplies in at least two locations in Israel as that country was seeking to contain a C-19 outbreak.
The incident, which occurred on April 24 and 25, was detected and thwarted before it could cause damage. But it could signal a further escalation in hostilities between the two countries and that Iran is getting bolder in its efforts to sabotage key systems.
The hackers sought to cripple computers that control water flow and wastewater treatment for a pair of rural districts in Israel, intelligence agencies in the US and UK monitored the attack in real time, alerting the Israeli government.
The hackers tried to hide their country of origin by routing their attempted attack through computer servers in the United States and Europe - a common tactic used by adversaries of the West, triggering the US / UK to the attack, alerting the Israelis.
The attack was coordinated, but not particularly sophisticated. The intruders targeted "programmable logic" controllers that operate valves for water distribution networks. The two affected districts serve a variety of residential, medical and commercial customers, providing fresh water as well as wastewater removal and treatment. At the time, much of the population was under lockdown because of the pandemic.
In Israel, the attack was initially detected by employees of the Israel Water Authority, who alerted Israel's cybersecurity agency. The attack was quickly detected and defeated caused no damage or harm to water supplies. Employees were instructed to change operational system passwords.
It would not be the first time Tehran has been linked to cyberattacks in Israel and other Middle East adversaries. Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for a 2012 cyberattack that knocked out computers for the oil giant Saudi Aramco, though not its operational systems.
In January, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli security officials are constantly detecting and foiling Iranian attempts to penetrate the country's computer networks.
Israel has engaged in cyber-sabotage against Iran as well. U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies created the computer worm called Stuxnet, which crippled 1,000 centrifuge machines made by Iran to enrich uranium. Neither country has officially confirmed its role. U.S. officials believe the attack, discovered in 2010, set back Iran's nuclear program by months.
Iran to date has not successfully carried out a cyberattack sabotaging industrial equipment. Iranian hackers penetrated controllers at a small dam in New York in 2013, but did no damage. They have also gained access to U.S. electric systems, but have not caused disruptions.Tags: iran, Israel, USA, covid-19, cyber