Almost 70% of Iranian gas stations stopped working today as a result of cyber attacks. According to a report by Reuters, the occurrence of problems at the gas stations was caused by a “problem with the software,” resulting in long queues of cars and frustrated residents.
The Iranian Ministry of Oil Industry stated that more than 30% of gas stations are still functioning, out of the approximately 33 thousand gas stations in the country.
Israeli media suggests that the problem is associated with an attack by the hacker group Gonjeshke Darande (Predatory Sparrow), which is allegedly connected with Israel. The group claims that the cyber attack is a response to the “aggression of the Islamic Republic.” The hackers also released screenshots of the gas station systems they hacked, revealing that they gained access to individual information on gas stations, payment system details, and the affairs control system from the central server of each station.
Despite their harmful actions, the hackers warned emergency services throughout the country before carrying out the cyber attack. They ensured that some gas stations remained unharmed, even though they had the capability to completely disrupt their operations. The group took measures to limit potential damage to emergency care services, as they have done in previous operations.
In 2022, the Gonjeshke Darande group hacked a large steel company in southwestern Iran, leading to a halt in production. The cyber attack also targeted two other plants, making it one of the largest attacks on the country’s strategic industrial sector in recent years.
Iran, which is under Western sanctions, faces difficulties in obtaining modern equipment and software. They often rely on Chinese electronics or outdated systems that are no longer updated by manufacturers. This becomes advantageous for potential hackers, as pirated versions of Windows and other programs are widespread in Iran.