Following escalating tensions between the Iranian regime and Israel, as well as the U.S. decision to evacuate some of its facilities in the Middle East, AFTA—the Strategic Center for the Security of Information Production and Exchange, affiliated with the office of the Iranian presidency—issued a warning to critical infrastructure and government facilities about the risk of cyberattacks.
The Strategic Center for the Security of Information Production and Exchange (AFTA) issued a cyber alert to executive branch managers in a letter published in the media on Thursday, June 12.
According to the letter, the likelihood of cyberattacks targeting the regime’s organizations and infrastructure has increased.
Therefore, the regime ordered that security offices, IT managers, and technical staff remain on-call from June 11 to 21 and strictly implement all security protocols.
Established in 2007, this center is tasked with regulation, cybersecurity oversight, issuing security certifications for software and tech products, and coordinating with government agencies and the private sector to counter cyber threats.
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Currently, AFTA is the primary authority overseeing the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure in Iran, and its directives and announcements are binding for all government and regime-affiliated organizations.
This letter was issued amid intensifying tensions between the Iranian regime on one side and Israel and Western countries on the other.
Previously, the United States had taken precautionary measures at several of its military and diplomatic facilities across the Middle East in response to the rising tensions.
In recent years, cyberattacks against the Iranian regime’s critical infrastructure have increased, particularly by Israel or groups affiliated with it.
One of the most notable incidents was the 2010 Stuxnet virus attack that targeted the Natanz nuclear facility. It has been widely attributed to a joint operation by Israel and the United States.
This operation, aimed at destroying centrifuges at Natanz, is recognized as one of the first cyberattacks to cause physical damage on an international scale.
In the following years, additional attacks occurred, including a widespread hacking of gas stations in November 2023 by the group “Predatory Sparrow,” which disrupted about 70% of the country’s fuel pumps and was once again attributed to Israel.
Other hacker groups also attacked systems belonging to the judiciary, SMS platforms, the Press TV network, the state-run Fars News Agency, and other institutions in 2022 and afterward.
These attacks point to a complex cyberwarfare campaign that has targeted the Iranian regime’s vital infrastructure, including energy, transportation, and government institutions.
