Colorado cybersecurity expert warns of cyberattacks by Iran following strike

CBS News

4 hours ago

Following the attack on Iran's nuclear research and development facilities by the United States, some cybersecurity experts are encouraging Americans to be proactive in helping the country avoid retaliatory cyberattacks.
d3sign / Getty Images
Colorado State University computer sciences professor Indrajit Ray said it is not a matter of if Iran will try and complete a cyberattack, but a question of when and how.
"Launching a cyberattack is actually not very expensive," Ray said.
Ray said the inexpensive and less-lethal nature of a cyberattack compared to a missile attack makes such an effort appealing to foreign adversaries as well as terror organizations.
"It is likely to happen. It is a matter of time of when it will happen," Ray said.
Ray said such attacks are a focus of studies at CSU when it comes to trying to build the next generation of cybersecurity experts.
"This is one of the important research agendas we have at Colorado State University," Ray said. "You need to train the next generation to defend against cyber physical system attacks."
The United States has a known history of vulnerability when it comes to infrastructure, that includes the power grid and water distribution systems. And those are possibly the types of infrastructure cyberwarfare may target.
With smartphones and tablets becoming more intertwined with daily lives of Americans, Ray said that makes the system even more vulnerable.
"All the devices are connected with each other. it is pretty well known these devices are a vulnerability. What it takes is to notice where the vulnerabilities exist in these connected devices, and exploit these vulnerabilities with malware," Ray said.
With many people connecting their smart phones to applications that help run their smart thermostat, water meters and more, Ray said that increases the opportunities to access the grid.
"These are ultimately connected to the power grid. The launching pad will be exploiting these devices, and they can be leveraged to get into the power grid," Ray said.
Ray encouraged people to make sure their devices are not using preset factory passwords, and to always make sure your smart devices are up to date with software updates.
While expecting cyberattacks by those we have conflict with, Ray said it likely won't be the level of attack to cause chaos.
"There will be some (attacks). But, not probably something that will cripple the economy," Ray said. "But, definitely (a cyberattack) is likely to happen."