A new front in the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States is unfolding beyond the conventional battlefield – in the virtual space, where cyber attacks are becoming increasingly frequent and sophisticated, writes the Financial Times.
At the beginning of this month, while air raid sirens were blaring in Israel, thousands of citizens received SMS messages that seemed to come from military authorities. These messages urged them to download a fake app with information about shelters, but which, in reality, could extract large volumes of personal data. Other messages had an explicitly intimidating tone, suggesting the imminence of attacks and amplifying the state of panic.
According to cybersecurity experts, these incidents represent only the visible part of an extensive digital conflict, waged for years between Iran and its adversaries. In this invisible war, hackers play an essential role, acting as an extension of traditional military strategies.
The former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency in the USA, Chris Krebs, asserts that Tehran is mobilizing “all available resources” in this field. The objectives range from gathering information and identifying targets for attacks, to spreading fear and disrupting economic activities.
The structure of these operations is complex. According to analysts, Iran uses several levels of cyber actors: from units directly affiliated with security institutions, to intermediary groups and independent hackers or “hacktivists” mobilized occasionally. This network allows both flexibility and plausible denial of direct involvement.
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