Smarttech247 general manager Raluca Saceanu. Image: Smarttech247
Cybersecurity company Smarttech247 says there has been a 286pc increase in malicious activity originating from Iran in recent weeks.
Cork-based managed security service provider Smarttech247 has reported that cyberattacks originating in Iran are on the rise, as tensions continue to increase between the Middle Eastern country and the US.
The company said that it has seen a “significant” increase in “malicious activity” coming from Iran, rising by around 286pc in recent weeks.
Smarttech247 general manager Raluca Saceanu said: “What’s important to note is that hackers will use the current geopolitical tensions to launch attacks that may not necessarily be connected to Iran, but they are simply leveraging the momentum.
“We have seen a significant 286pc increase in our security operations centres (SOCs) in malicious activity coming from Iran, making the threat of a nation-state cyberattack on high-profile corporations, government agencies and critical systems a very real one.”
‘Hackers will continue to exploit global security loopholes’
The company pointed to previous attacks on critical infrastructure, such as the 2015 Ukranian power grid cyberattack and multiple attacks on the US healthcare system.
Andy Grzess, CTO at Smarttech247, added: “Government agencies need to ensure all systems are up to date. Failure to pay close attention to the critical patches has made cities and hospitals easy targets. Hackers will continue to exploit global security loopholes for localised gain.”
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, Smarttech247 announced that it plans to invest €300,000 in its industrial security operations.
The company said that this investment will help organisations that rely on critical infrastructure to defend themselves against cyberattacks.
Smarttech247 said that this risk has been “heightened by increased global tensions”, citing the “significant increase in attempted attacks in the past fortnight”.
