Latest news with #ArnieBellini
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
As Iran Israel ceasefire holds, Tehran-backed hackers begin operations - target US banks, and defense sites
Iran-backed hackers have started targeting U.S. banks, oil companies, and defense firms after American strikes on Iran. U.S. authorities have warned critical infrastructure operators to stay alert for possible cyber threats. Experts say cyberattacks can spread fear and confusion, even without causing major damage. Officials are closely watching for more attacks. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Hacker groups and their actions Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Iran's cyber style Cuts in U.S. cybersecurity FAQs Even though Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, hackers who support Iran have started attacking U.S. websites. They've gone after big targets like banks, defense companies, and oil industries. Experts are worried things might get worse if the ceasefire breaks or if more hackers join U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Iranian-backed hackers began targeting American companies. The hackers are mainly attacking U.S. banks, defense contractors, and oil companies. So far, the attacks haven't caused any major damage to important U.S. systems or the economy, according to the report by AP warn things could get worse if the Iran-Israel ceasefire breaks, or if independent hacker groups join in. Arnie Bellini, a tech investor, said Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea may invest more in cyberwarfare now, since hacking is cheaper than using weapons. Bellini also said America is strong in regular warfare but very weak when it comes to digital attacks, "like Swiss cheese."Two pro-Palestinian hacker groups claimed they hit over a dozen U.S. aviation firms, banks, and oil companies. These were denial-of-service attacks, which try to shut down websites or systems by overloading them. One of the groups, Mysterious Team, posted online that they are increasing attacks, as stated in the report by AP Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency asked organizations like water plants, pipelines, and power grids to be extra is not as advanced in hacking as China or Russia, but it's known as a 'chaos agent', it uses cyberattacks to steal info, scare enemies, and make political noise. If the ceasefire continues, Iran's official hackers may stop. But independent hacker groups that support Iran could still attack. Some of these hacker groups are linked to Iran's military or intelligence. Others work alone. Over 60 such groups have been tracked, as per the report by AP hacker groups want to create fear, confusion, and economic problems. After the Hamas attack on Israel in Oct 2023, some hackers broke into an Israeli emergency alert app and sent fake nuclear missile may try more spying rather than destruction, like watching what Trump or U.S. leaders do next. Last year, three Iranian hackers were charged for trying to hack Trump's 2020 campaign. Jake Williams said Iran is still likely using its hacking tools to gather intelligence, not just attack, as sated by AP News Trump administration has reduced funding and staff for cybersecurity programs. CISA cut staff who worked on election security and reduced funding for local/state cybersecurity. Gen. Timothy Haugh, head of NSA and Cyber Command, was suddenly fired by strike on Iran's nuclear scientists showed how powerful cyber-espionage can be. Arnie Bellini donated $40 million to help build a new cybersecurity center at the University of South Florida. Bellini said the cyberwar is like a never-ending cartoon chase, 'Wile E. Coyote vs. Road Runner', and the U.S. can't afford to lose, according to the AP News that support Iran, including pro-Palestinian hackers.U.S. banks, defense companies, oil firms, and aviation.
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Iranian-backed hackers go to work after U.S. strikes
Hackers backing Tehran have targeted U.S. banks, defence contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — but so far have not caused widespread disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. But that could change if the ceasefire between Iran and Israel collapses or if independent hacking groups supporting Iran make good on promises to wage their own digital conflict against the US, analysts and cyber experts say. The U.S. strikes could even prompt Iran, Russia, China and North Korea to double down on investments in cyberwarfare, according to Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and investor. Mr. Bellini noted that hacking operations are much cheaper than bullets, planes or nuclear arms — what defence analysts call kinetic warfare. America may be militarily dominant, he said, but its reliance on digital technology poses a vulnerability. 'We just showed the world: You don't want to mess with us kinetically,' said Mr. Bellini, CEO of Bellini Capital. 'But we are wide open digitally. We are like Swiss cheese." Hackers hit banks and defence contractors Two pro-Palestinian hacking groups claimed they targeted more than a dozen aviation firms, banks and oil companies following the U.S. strikes over the weekend. The hackers detailed their work in a post on the Telegram messaging service and urged other hackers to follow their lead, according to researchers at the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the groups' activity. Nuclear spectre: The Hindu editorial on the risk of an era of nuclear brinkmanship The attacks were denial-of-service attacks, in which a hacker tries to disrupt a website or online network. 'We increase attacks from today,' one of the hacker groups, known as Mysterious Team, posted Monday. Federal authorities say they are on guard for additional attempts by hackers to penetrate U.S. networks. 'Chaos agent' The Department of Homeland Security issued a public bulletin on Sunday (June 22, 2025) warning of increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement on Tuesday (June 24, 2025)urging organisations that operate critical infrastructure like water systems, pipelines or power plants to stay vigilant. While it lacks the technical abilities of China or Russia, Iran has long been known as a 'chaos agent' when it comes to using cyberattacks to steal secrets, score political points or frighten opponents. Cyberattacks mounted by Iran's government may end if the ceasefire holds and Tehran looks to avoid another confrontation with the U.S. But hacker groups could still retaliate on Iran's behalf. In some cases, these groups have ties to military or intelligence agencies. In other cases, they act entirely independently. More than 60 such groups have been identified by researchers at the security firm Trustwave. These hackers can inflict significant economic and psychological blows. Following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, for instance, hackers penetrated an emergency alert app used by some Israelis and directed it to inform users that a nuclear missile was incoming. 'It causes an immediate psychological impact," said Ziv Mador, vice president of security research at Trustwave's SpiderLabs, which tracks cyberthreats. Economic disruption, confusion and fear are all the goals of such operations, said Mador, who is based in Israel. 'We saw the same thing in Russia-Ukraine.' Collecting intelligence another aim for hackers While Iran lacks the cyberwarfare capabilities of China or Russia, it has repeatedly tried to use its more modest operations to try to spy on foreign leaders — something national security experts predict Tehran is almost certain to try again as it seeks to suss out President Donald Trump's next moves. Last year, federal authorities charged three Iranian operatives with trying to hack Trump's presidential campaign. It would be wrong to assume Iran has given up those efforts, according to Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency cybersecurity expert who is now vice president of research and development at Hunter Strategy, a Washington-based cybersecurity firm. 'It's fairly certain that these limited resources are being used for intelligence collection to understand what Israel or the US might be planning next, rather than performing destructive attacks against U.S. commercial organisations,' Mr. Williams said. Trump administration has cut cybersecurity programmes and staff Calls to bolster America's digital defence come as the Trump administration has moved to slash some cybersecurity programmes as part of its effort to shrink the size of government. CISA has placed staffers who worked on election security on leave and cut millions of dollars in funding for cybersecurity programs for local and state elections. The CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies also have seen reductions in staffing. Trump abruptly fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversaw the NSA and the Pentagon's Cyber Command. The Israel-Iran conflict shows the value of investments in cybersecurity and cyber offence, Mr. Mador said. He said Israel's strikes on Iran, which included attacks on nuclear scientists, required sophisticated cyberespionage that allowed Israel to track its targets. Expanding America's cyber defences will require investments in education as well as technical fixes to ensure connected devices or networks aren't vulnerable, said Bellini, who recently contributed $40 million toward a new cybersecurity centre at the University of South Florida. There is a new arms race when it comes to cyberwar, Bellini said, and it's a contest America can't afford to lose. 'It's Wile E. Coyote vs. the Road Runner,' Bellini said. 'It will go back and forth, and it will never end.'
9 hours ago
- Business
Iranian-backed hackers go to work after US strikes
WASHINGTON -- Hackers backing Tehran have targeted U.S. banks, defense contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — but so far have not caused widespread disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. But that could change if the ceasefire between Iran and Israel collapses or if independent hacking groups supporting Iran make good on promises to wage their own digital conflict against the U.S., analysts and cyber experts say. The U.S. strikes could even prompt Iran, Russia, China and North Korea to double down on investments in cyberwarfare, according to Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and investor. Bellini noted that hacking operations are much cheaper than bullets, planes or nuclear arms — what defense analysts call kinetic warfare. America may be militarily dominant, he said, but its reliance on digital technology poses a vulnerability. 'We just showed the world: You don't want to mess with us kinetically,' said Bellini, CEO of Bellini Capital. 'But we are wide open digitally. We are like Swiss cheese." Two pro-Palestinian hacking groups claimed they targeted more than a dozen aviation firms, banks and oil companies following the U.S. strikes over the weekend. The hackers detailed their work in a post on the Telegram messaging service and urged other hackers to follow their lead, according to researchers at the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the groups' activity. The attacks were denial-of-service attacks, in which a hacker tries to disrupt a website or online network. 'We increase attacks from today,' one of the hacker groups, known as Mysterious Team, posted Monday. Federal authorities say they are on guard for additional attempts by hackers to penetrate U.S. networks. The Department of Homeland Security issued a public bulletin Sunday warning of increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement Tuesday urging organizations that operate critical infrastructure like water systems, pipelines or power plants to stay vigilant. While it lacks the technical abilities of China or Russia, Iran has long been known as a 'chaos agent' when it comes to using cyberattacks to steal secrets, score political points or frighten opponents. Cyberattacks mounted by Iran's government may end if the ceasefire holds and Tehran looks to avoid another confrontation with the U.S. But hacker groups could still retaliate on Iran's behalf. In some cases, these groups have ties to military or intelligence agencies. In other cases, they act entirely independently. More than 60 such groups have been identified by researchers at the security firm Trustwave. These hackers can inflict significant economic and psychological blows. Following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, for instance, hackers penetrated an emergency alert app used by some Israelis and directed it to inform users that a nuclear missile was incoming. 'It causes an immediate psychological impact," said Ziv Mador, vice president of security research at Trustwave's SpiderLabs, which tracks cyberthreats. Economic disruption, confusion and fear are all the goals of such operations, said Mador, who is based in Israel. 'We saw the same thing in Russia-Ukraine.' While Iran lacks the cyberwarfare capabilities of China or Russia, it has repeatedly tried to use its more modest operations to try to spy on foreign leaders — something national security experts predict Tehran is almost certain to try again as it seeks to suss out President Donald Trump's next moves. Last year, federal authorities charged three Iranian operatives with trying to hack Trump's presidential campaign. It would be wrong to assume Iran has given up those efforts, according to Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency cybersecurity expert who is now vice president of research and development at Hunter Strategy, a Washington-based cybersecurity firm. 'It's fairly certain that these limited resources are being used for intelligence collection to understand what Israel or the U.S. might be planning next, rather than performing destructive attacks against U.S. commercial organizations,' Williams said. Calls to bolster America's digital defense come as the Trump administration has moved to slash some cybersecurity programs as part of its effort to shrink the size of government. CISA has placed staffers who worked on election security on leave and cut millions of dollars in funding for cybersecurity programs for local and state elections. The CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies also have seen reductions in staffing. Trump abruptly fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversaw the NSA and the Pentagon's Cyber Command. The Israel-Iran conflict shows the value of investments in cybersecurity and cyber offense, Mador said. He said Israel's strikes on Iran, which included attacks on nuclear scientists, required sophisticated cyberespionage that allowed Israel to track its targets. Expanding America's cyber defenses will require investments in education as well as technical fixes to ensure connected devices or networks aren't vulnerable, said Bellini, who recently contributed $40 million toward a new cybersecurity center at the University of South Florida. There is a new arms race when it comes to cyberwar, Bellini said, and it's a contest America can't afford to lose. 'It's Wile E. Coyote vs. the Road Runner,' Bellini said. "It will go back and forth, and it will never end.'
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Another warning for the US on Iran and Israel ceasefire collapse: Hackers may go back to work on ....
Hackers aligned with Iran have reportedly launched cyberattacks on U.S. banks, defense contractors, and oil companies in response to American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, but these efforts have not yet caused significant disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. According to a report by news agency AP, hackers backing Tehran have targeted U.S. banks, defense contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — but so far have not caused widespread disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. However, experts warn that a collapse of the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, or actions by independent pro-Iranian hacking groups, could escalate the digital conflict. "If the ceasefire breaks down, we could see more aggressive cyberattacks," said Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and CEO of Bellini Capital, as quoted by AP. Bellini emphasized that cyberattacks are far less costly than traditional warfare, highlighting America's vulnerability due to its reliance on digital systems. "We're militarily dominant, but digitally, we're like Swiss cheese," he told the news agency. According to the report, two pro-Palestinian hacking groups claimed responsibility for targeting over a dozen U.S. aviation, banking, and oil firms with denial-of-service attacks following the strikes. The group Mysterious Team announced on Telegram, "We increase attacks from today," urging other hackers to join, per researchers at SITE Intelligence Group. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ductless Air Conditioners Are Selling Like Crazy [See Why] Keep Cool Click Here Undo The Department of Homeland Security issued a warning on June 22 about heightened Iranian cyber threats, while the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) urged critical infrastructure operators to remain vigilant, AP reports. Though Iran's cyber capabilities lag behind those of China or Russia, it has a history of using cyberattacks for espionage and disruption, often acting as a "chaos agent," according to Ziv Mador of Trustwave's SpiderLabs. Independent hacker groups, some loosely tied to Iranian agencies, pose a persistent threat. The report notes that Trustwave has identified over 60 such groups, capable of causing economic and psychological damage, as seen in past attacks like the 2023 hack of an Israeli emergency alert app falsely warning of a nuclear missile. Iran may also intensify efforts to spy on U.S. leaders, claims the AP report, citing last year's charges against three Iranian operatives for attempting to hack Donald Trump's campaign. "They're likely focusing on intelligence collection to predict U.S. or Israeli moves," Jake Williams, a former NSA expert, said as quoted by the report. Experts stress the need for stronger cyber defenses. Bellini, who donated $40 million to a new cybersecurity center at the University of South Florida, described the situation as a "new arms race" to AP, comparing it to "Wile E. Coyote vs. the Road Runner—a back-and-forth that never ends."
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iranian-backed hackers go to work after US strikes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hackers backing Tehran have targeted U.S. banks, defense contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — but so far have not caused widespread disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. But that could change if the ceasefire between Iran and Israel collapses or if independent hacking groups supporting Iran make good on promises to wage their own digital conflict against the U.S., analysts and cyber experts say. The U.S. strikes could even prompt Iran, Russia, China and North Korea to double down on investments in cyberwarfare, according to Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and investor. Bellini noted that hacking operations are much cheaper than bullets, planes or nuclear arms — what defense analysts call kinetic warfare. America may be militarily dominant, he said, but its reliance on digital technology poses a vulnerability. 'We just showed the world: You don't want to mess with us kinetically,' said Bellini, CEO of Bellini Capital. 'But we are wide open digitally. We are like Swiss cheese.' Hackers have hit banks and defense contractors Two pro-Palestinian hacking groups claimed they targeted more than a dozen aviation firms, banks and oil companies following the U.S. strikes over the weekend. The hackers detailed their work in a post on the Telegram messaging service and urged other hackers to follow their lead, according to researchers at the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the groups' activity. The attacks were denial-of-service attacks, in which a hacker tries to disrupt a website or online network. 'We increase attacks from today,' one of the hacker groups, known as Mysterious Team, posted Monday. Federal authorities say they are on guard for additional attempts by hackers to penetrate U.S. networks. The Department of Homeland Security issued a public bulletin Sunday warning of increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement Tuesday urging organizations that operate critical infrastructure like water systems, pipelines or power plants to stay vigilant. While it lacks the technical abilities of China or Russia, Iran has long been known as a 'chaos agent' when it comes to using cyberattacks to steal secrets, score political points or frighten opponents. Cyberattacks mounted by Iran's government may end if the ceasefire holds and Tehran looks to avoid another confrontation with the U.S. But hacker groups could still retaliate on Iran's behalf. In some cases, these groups have ties to military or intelligence agencies. In other cases, they act entirely independently. More than 60 such groups have been identified by researchers at the security firm Trustwave. These hackers can inflict significant economic and psychological blows. Following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, for instance, hackers penetrated an emergency alert app used by some Israelis and directed it to inform users that a nuclear missile was incoming. 'It causes an immediate psychological impact,' said Ziv Mador, vice president of security research at Trustwave's SpiderLabs, which tracks cyberthreats. Economic disruption, confusion and fear are all the goals of such operations, said Mador, who is based in Israel. 'We saw the same thing in Russia-Ukraine.' Collecting intelligence is another aim for hackers While Iran lacks the cyberwarfare capabilities of China or Russia, it has repeatedly tried to use its more modest operations to try to spy on foreign leaders — something national security experts predict Tehran is almost certain to try again as it seeks to suss out President Donald Trump's next moves. Last year, federal authorities charged three Iranian operatives with trying to hack Trump's presidential campaign. It would be wrong to assume Iran has given up those efforts, according to Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency cybersecurity expert who is now vice president of research and development at Hunter Strategy, a Washington-based cybersecurity firm. 'It's fairly certain that these limited resources are being used for intelligence collection to understand what Israel or the U.S. might be planning next, rather than performing destructive attacks against U.S. commercial organizations,' Williams said. The Trump administration has cut cybersecurity programs and staff Calls to bolster America's digital defense come as the Trump administration has moved to slash some cybersecurity programs as part of its effort to shrink the size of government. CISA has placed staffers who worked on election security on leave and cut millions of dollars in funding for cybersecurity programs for local and state elections. The CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies also have seen reductions in staffing. Trump abruptly fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversaw the NSA and the Pentagon's Cyber Command. The Israel-Iran conflict shows the value of investments in cybersecurity and cyber offense, Mador said. He said Israel's strikes on Iran, which included attacks on nuclear scientists, required sophisticated cyberespionage that allowed Israel to track its targets. Expanding America's cyber defenses will require investments in education as well as technical fixes to ensure connected devices or networks aren't vulnerable, said Bellini, who recently contributed $40 million toward a new cybersecurity center at the University of South Florida. There is a new arms race when it comes to cyberwar, Bellini said, and it's a contest America can't afford to lose. 'It's Wile E. Coyote vs. the Road Runner,' Bellini said. 'It will go back and forth, and it will never end.'
