Iranian hackers are targeting American critical infrastructure, U.S. agencies warn

The U.S. government is warning that Iran-backed hackers are escalating their tactics by targeting American critical infrastructure systems with the aim of causing disruption. In a joint advisory published Tuesday, the FBI, the National Security Agency, U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA, and the U.S. Department of Energy collectively warned that Iranian government hackers have been exploiting internet-facing systems used across a range of sectors. These include water and waste-water utilities, energy, and local government facilities. The agencies did not specifically name any of the targets, but said that the hacks were aimed at causing “disruptive effects within the United States,” and had already resulted in “operational disruption and financial loss.”