Specialists in critical infrastructure are urging the U.S. to reconsider deeper involvement in Middle East conflicts, warning that Iran may retaliate with cyberattacks on American utilities such as power and water systems.
As tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, infrastructure security leaders remain vigilant. Although no significant cyberattacks have occurred so far, organizations are actively strengthening their cybersecurity defenses, according to Politico.
John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, noted that while Iran’s cyber operations have mainly focused on the Middle East, this could change depending on the U.S.’s military actions. “If the U.S. launches direct attacks on Iran, American infrastructure could become a prime target,” he said.
Past geopolitical crises—such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—have prompted preemptive actions from U.S. agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), aimed at addressing emerging threats before they materialize.
Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Adviser for cyber and emerging technology at the White House, emphasized the federal government’s role in helping critical sectors strengthen their cyber defenses during periods of conflict. She stressed the need for public sharing of threat intelligence, both by private firms and government bodies like ODNI and CISA.
Recently, two major industry-specific threat intelligence groups issued warnings to U.S. companies, urging heightened cybersecurity preparedness amid concerns over Iranian cyber operations. The Food and Agriculture ISAC—whose members include companies like Hershey, Tyson, and Conagra—and the Information Technology ISAC—home to firms such as Intel, IBM, and AT&T—cautioned that even attacks intended for other nations could have collateral effects on U.S. businesses.
These groups pointed out that cyberattacks targeting Israel might unintentionally disrupt American systems. Jeffrey Troy, head of the Aviation ISAC, said that past incidents targeting GPS systems have put the aviation sector in a state of continuous alert, with companies sharing intelligence and coordinating responses to detect and mitigate threats.
Despite the absence of a large-scale cyber event thus far, infrastructure sectors continue to scale up their security efforts. However, some group leaders have raised concerns about reduced federal support, citing staffing and resource cuts in cybersecurity agencies since the Trump administration.
CISA, the nation’s primary cybersecurity agency, is projected to lose about 1,000 employees, with many key programs either reduced or suspended, the report said.
