CISA issues urgent alert on Iranian hackers targeting critical infrastructure

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an urgent alert Thursday warning that Iranian-affiliated hackers are actively attacking critical infrastructure systems. The alert, released jointly with the FBI and NSA, states that threat actors are exploiting programmable logic controllers manufactured by Rockwell Automation and Allen-Bradley to gain unauthorized access to industrial control systems. CISA directed organizations to immediately shield certain programmable logic controllers from internet access to prevent future intrusions. The guidance applies to industrial operators across multiple sectors including energy, water, and manufacturing. The agency did not specify which organizations have been compromised or the extent of potential damage. The warning represents an escalation in Iranian cyber operations targeting U.S. infrastructure amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. The alert follows a pattern of increased Iranian cyber activity targeting critical infrastructure in recent months. Security researchers have tracked Iranian state-sponsored groups exploiting industrial control system vulnerabilities since 2023. CISA recommended network segmentation, access controls, and monitoring for industrial control system environments as immediate mitigation steps.