Cyberattacks halt operations of 4 major Iranian banks

Four major Iranian banks faced cyberattacks that disrupted their operations but immediate protective measures protected customer data. 
Iran’s Bank Coordination Council on Sunday confirms the matter, reports cybernews.com.

The council described a “limited cyberattack” that affected services at Bank Melli, Bank Tejarat, Bank Saderat, and the Export Development Bank of Iran.

The attack targeted their shared communications infrastructure. Technical teams secured the affected systems after noticing unusual activity.
“Technical teams immediately implemented the necessary preventive and protective measures to protect customer data and the country’s banking infrastructure after identifying unusual signs,” the council said in a statement.

Tehran residents reported that electronic payments had abruptly stopped working across supermarkets and restaurants, forcing businesses to resort to manual recording of purchases.
According to officials, no customer data was accessed or deleted.

“Detailed technical investigations indicate that this disruption was caused by a limited cyberattack on the shared communication infrastructure of these four banks, and fortunately, no unauthorized access to customer information occurred and no information was deleted,” the council said.

According to the council, technical teams are continuing recovery efforts to restore full operations. Transactions are reportedly functioning as normal now, with issues at Tejarat and Export banks resolved later on Sunday, according to local media.
Details are still being investigated.

An Iranian hacker group Black Wolves claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday, writing on Telegram: “A silent war is unfolding, and Iran is under cyberattack.”

In recent years, Iran has faced a series of high-profile cyberattacks. In 2021, hackers breached Tehran’s Evin Prison, leaking surveillance footage that appeared to show guards assaulting political prisoners. And during the 2022 women’s protests, hackers targeted the Iranian Central Bank.