CyberSecurity news
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@www.dhs.gov
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Following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites on June 21, 2025, a wave of cyberattacks has been launched against U.S. organizations by Iran-aligned hacktivist groups. Cyble threat intelligence researchers reported that in the first 24 hours after the strikes, 15 U.S. organizations and 19 websites were targeted with DDoS attacks. Groups such as Mr Hamza, Team 313, Keymous+, and Cyber Jihad have claimed responsibility, targeting U.S. Air Force websites, aerospace and defense companies, and financial services organizations.
The attacks have been framed as retaliation for U.S. involvement in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, with the groups using the hashtag #Op_Usa to deface websites and leak credentials. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a bulletin on June 22, 2025, warning of likely low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists, noting that cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may also conduct attacks. This warning highlights the escalating cyber warfare activity between the two nations. In a notable incident, Donald Trump's social media platform, Truth Social, was paralyzed by a DDoS attack just hours after the U.S. airstrikes. The hacker group “313 Team” claimed responsibility, stating the attack was in response to President Trump's announcement of the successful strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The DHS emphasizes that this cyber activity reflects an increasing shift of geopolitical tensions into the digital space, further intensifying the cyber security concerns. Recommended read:
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@www.elliptic.co
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Cyber warfare between Israel and Iran has significantly escalated, marked by disruptions to financial systems and critical infrastructure. In response to recent cyberattacks, the Iranian government admitted to shutting down the internet to protect against further Israeli incursions. This near-total internet blackout has severely limited Iranians' access to information about the ongoing conflict and their ability to communicate with loved ones both inside and outside the country. The government cited hacks on Bank Sepah and the cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex as reasons for restricting internet access.
The cyberattacks included a major outage at Bank Sepah, where the attackers, a group called Predatory Sparrow, claimed to have deleted data, exfiltrated internal documents, and destroyed backups. Predatory Sparrow also claimed responsibility for draining over $90 million in cryptocurrency from Nobitex, Iran's largest crypto exchange, rendering the stolen funds inaccessible. The group, which purports to be pro-Israel hacktivists, has previously disrupted key services in Iran, such as gas stations and steel plants. The U.S. cybersecurity groups have issued advisories warning that Iranian-affiliated threat actors may retaliate globally, targeting American companies in sectors like energy, finance, healthcare, and logistics. These alerts urge CISOs to elevate monitoring and reinforce incident response protocols due to the heightened geopolitical risk. The cyber conflict between Israel and Iran marks a significant turning point, with potential global implications for cybersecurity. Recommended read:
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Matt Burgess@WIRED
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The Iranian government has admitted to shutting down internet access across the country, citing the need to protect against ongoing Israeli cyberattacks. This drastic measure, implemented in the midst of escalating tensions and kinetic conflict between the two nations, has resulted in a near-total national internet blackout, severely limiting Iranians' access to vital information and their ability to communicate with loved ones both within and outside the country. The government's spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, stated that the decision was made due to witnessing cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and disruptions in banking systems, also referencing recent hacks on Bank Sepah and the Nobitex cryptocurrency exchange.
The internet shutdown, described as the "worst" in the history of Iran's internet control, began on June 18th and continued into the next day, with monitoring firm NetBlocks reporting a connectivity drop of over 97%. Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, noted a 54% drop in connectivity on June 13th, followed by another 49% on June 17th, and a further 90% decrease on Wednesday. This unprecedented defensive maneuver, described as Iran National Internet Infrastructure Throttling: Cyber Defense Strategy to Prevent Attacks Amid Regional Conflict, reflects an attempt to establish a digital choke point and stymie the propagation of rapidly executed cyber intrusions, such as DDoS attacks and malware spread. The cyber conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified, with a group called Predatory Sparrow claiming responsibility for attacks on Iranian institutions. These attacks included major outages at Bank Sepah and the draining of over $90 million in cryptocurrency from Nobitex. Additionally, reports emerged of Predatory Sparrow infiltrating Iran's state broadcast systems to display protest imagery and anti-regime messages. The internet restrictions are pushing Iranian citizens toward domestic apps, which may not be secure, adding to the dangers faced by civilians amid Israeli bombings and creating a cybersecurity watershed moment with potential global implications. Recommended read:
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Rescana@Rescana
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infosec.exchange
, WIRED
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Amidst escalating regional conflicts, Iran has taken the drastic measure of shutting down internet access for its citizens, a move the government defends as a necessary precaution against Israeli cyberattacks. This disruption has severely impacted communication within the country, leaving Iranians abroad unable to connect with loved ones. One such individual, Amir Rashidi, expressed his anxiety, stating he hadn't heard from his family in two days and was relying on someone else for updates. The situation highlights the growing intersection of cyber warfare and real-world consequences for civilians.
The internet blackout is not the first instance of Iran limiting connectivity. In the past, similar restrictions were imposed during periods of political unrest, such as protests in 2019 and 2022. These shutdowns are implemented by pushing people towards domestic apps, which are often less secure, while also severely restricting access to vital information. Experts like Doug Madory from Kentik have documented significant drops in internet connectivity within Iran following recent Israeli airstrikes, with reductions of 54% initially, followed by further declines of 49% and, subsequently, a staggering 90%. In a defensive maneuver against cyber threats, Iran is throttling its National Internet Infrastructure. The country claims it is restricting internet connectivity to counter cyber attacks amid regional conflict. The stated aim is to impede cyber intrusions and the synchronization of adversarial operations. An example of the threats Iran faces is demonstrated by the Israeli-linked hackers who seized and burned $90 million from Iran's Nobitex exchange. Recommended read:
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Nicholas Kitonyi@NFTgators
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A pro-Israel hacking group, known as Predatory Sparrow, has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack against Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The attack resulted in the theft of approximately $90 million in various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Dogecoin, as well as over 100 other cryptocurrencies. According to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, the funds were drained from the exchange’s wallets into blockchain addresses containing anti-government messages explicitly referencing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The attackers, instead of attempting to profit financially, intentionally destroyed the stolen cryptocurrency in what has been described as a symbolic political statement. The funds were sent to blockchain addresses with the phrase "F***iRGCTerrorists" embedded within them. Experts say that generating addresses with such specific terms requires significant computing power, suggesting the primary goal was to send a message rather than to gain financially. The incident underscores the rising geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran and the vulnerability of cryptocurrency exchanges to politically motivated cyberattacks. The cyberattack on Nobitex is part of a broader pattern of cyber warfare between Israel and Iran. While the physical conflict has seen airstrikes and other military actions, the digital realm has become another battleground, with potentially significant repercussions for both countries and the wider global community. This incident also follows reports of internet restrictions within Iran, limiting citizens' access to information and communication amidst escalating tensions. The global cybersecurity community needs to stay prepared for security repercussions for the two combatants and the wider global community as the cyberwarfare portion of the conflict is already spilling over off the battlefield and outside the region. Recommended read:
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Ben Weiss@fortune.com
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A pro-Israel hacktivist group known as Predatory Sparrow has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange. The attack resulted in the theft and destruction of approximately $90 million in cryptocurrency. The group stated that Nobitex was targeted for allegedly financing terrorism and evading international sanctions for the Iranian regime. This incident highlights the increasing cyber conflict between Israel and Iran, with hacktivist groups playing a significant role in disruptive operations.
The hackers reportedly sent the stolen funds to inaccessible blockchain addresses, effectively "burning" the cryptocurrency and taking it out of circulation. Blockchain analysis firm Elliptic confirmed the transfer of over $90 million to multiple vanity addresses containing variations of "F--kIRGCterrorists" within their public key. This symbolic act suggests the intention was to send a political message rather than financial gain. It has been noted that Nobitex has over 10 million customers, raising concerns about the potential impact of the breach. The attack on Nobitex follows a recent claim by Predatory Sparrow of hacking Bank Sepah, another major Iranian financial institution. These cyberattacks come amid escalating tensions and exchanges of airstrikes between Israel and Iran. Cybersecurity experts warn of a growing digital conflict unfolding behind the scenes, with the potential for broader spillover effects. The situation emphasizes the vulnerability of cryptocurrency exchanges to sophisticated cyberattacks and the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures. Recommended read:
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@therecord.media
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ESET researchers have revealed a long-running cyber espionage campaign conducted by an Iranian APT group named BladedFeline. The group has been actively targeting government and telecom networks in Kurdistan, Iraq, and Uzbekistan since at least 2017. BladedFeline is believed to be a subgroup of OilRig, a well-documented Iranian state-backed actor, and has managed to stay undetected within these networks for approximately eight years, continually expanding its cyber espionage capabilities.
BladedFeline utilizes a variety of malicious tools for maintaining and expanding access within targeted organizations. Notable malware includes Shahmaran, a simple backdoor used against Kurdish diplomatic officials, and more sophisticated tools like Whisper and PrimeCache. Whisper communicates with attackers through email attachments sent via compromised Microsoft Exchange webmail accounts, while PrimeCache bears similarities to RDAT, a backdoor previously associated with OilRig. Researchers suggest that BladedFeline may have initially gained access to Iraqi government systems by exploiting vulnerabilities in internet-facing servers, using a webshell called Flog to maintain control. The group's targeting reflects Iran's strategic interests in the Middle East. The Kurdistan Regional Government's diplomatic relationships and oil reserves make it an attractive target for espionage, while the focus on Iraqi governmental circles suggests an attempt to counter Western influence. ESET warns that BladedFeline is likely to continue developing its malware arsenal to retain access to compromised systems for cyber espionage purposes. The discovery highlights the persistent threat posed by Iranian APT groups and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive government data. Recommended read:
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info@thehackernews.com (The@The Hacker News
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A long-term cyber intrusion aimed at critical national infrastructure (CNI) in the Middle East has been attributed to an Iranian state-sponsored threat group. The attack, which persisted from May 2023 to February 2025, entailed extensive espionage operations and suspected network prepositioning, a tactic used to maintain persistent access for future strategic advantage. The network security company noted that the attack exhibits tradecraft overlaps with Lemon Sandstorm (formerly Rubidium), also tracked as Parisite, Pioneer Kitten, and UNC757, an Iranian nation-state threat actor active since at least 2017.
The attackers gained initial access by exploiting stolen login credentials to access the victim's SSL VPN system, deploying web shells on public-facing servers, and deploying three backdoors: Havoc, HanifNet, and HXLibrary, for long-term access. They further consolidated their foothold by planting more web shells and an additional backdoor called NeoExpressRAT, using tools like plink and Ngrok to burrow deeper into the network, performing targeted exfiltration of the victim's emails, and conducting lateral movement to the virtualization infrastructure. In response to the victim's initial containment and remediation steps, the attackers deployed more web shells and two more backdoors, MeshCentral Agent and SystemBC. Even after the victim successfully removed the adversary's access, attempts to infiltrate the network continued by exploiting known Biotime vulnerabilities and spear-phishing attacks aimed at employees to harvest Microsoft 365 credentials. Researchers identified an evolving arsenal of tools deployed throughout the intrusion, including both publicly available and custom-developed malware. The custom tools, such as NeoExpressRAT, a Golang-based backdoor with hardcoded command and control communication capabilities, allowed the threat actors to maintain persistent access while evading traditional detection methods. Recommended read:
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