IT-ISAC and Food and Ag-ISAC warn of potential cybersecurity impacts stemming from Iran-Israel conflict

On Friday morning local time, Israel launched what it has described as a “preemptive” strike against Iran. As these tensions rise, the Food and Agriculture Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Food and Ag-ISAC) and the Information Technology – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IT-ISAC) encourage companies to prepare for the likelihood of increased cyber attacks from Iran targeting U.S. companies.

Historically, Iranian state-sponsored actors, pro-Iran hacktivist groups, and financially motivated cybercriminals have launched attacks against U.S. organizations during periods of heightened conflict. In light of this, the Food and Ag-ISAC and IT-ISAC recommend companies take immediate steps to proactively assess their cyber preparedness, enhance their defenses, and prepare for a range of cyber activity, some of which could potentially be disruptive.

Now is the time for companies to become familiar with Iranian-affiliated threat actors and their TTPs, assess their own cybersecurity posture, strengthen their defenses, begin heightened monitoring for suspicious activity, and remind employees to report suspicious emails and links. Preparedness is critical to resilience.

Even attacks not directly targeting the U.S. could have indirect effects and cause disruptions to companies in the U.S. Given the interconnectedness of networks, it is possible that cyber attacks targeting Israel itself could cause collateral damage to U.S. companies, even if the U.S. companies themselves are not the intended target.