News brief: Strikes on Iran put cybersecurity teams on alert

The joint U.S.-Israeli strikes this week against Iran have resulted in retaliatory actions across the Gulf region that range from military to cyber.

Pro-Iran groups have launched cyberattacks, lashing out against Israel, America and their allies in a demonstration of how cyber and physical warfare intersect. These responses have been described as a form of hacktivism -- politically motivated attacks intended to advance ideological or geopolitical reasons rather generate financial gain.

Sophos' Counter Threat Unit Research Team said on Tuesday it has seen a surge in pro-Iran hacktivist activity since the military actions began with the Feb. 28 bombings in Tehran, with several hacktivist groups sharing misinformation and inciting violence. "Iranian groups routinely target publicly disclosed vulnerabilities rather than exploiting zero-days, so organizations should prioritize patching vulnerabilities listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog," the researchers wrote.

Companies, especially those in utilities, should be extra vigilant, the Foundation ...