War on the cyber front: Iran may target Israel with cyberattacks - analysis

An Iranian response to Israel may include more than a barrage of missiles and drones but also waves of cyberattacks, which can be devastating in a different way. 

Last Wednesday, the X, formerly Twitter, account of Iran International reported that a severe cyberattack struck the Central Bank of Iran.

Iran International claimed that in the attack, customer details were stolen, and disruptions were identified in many bank branches across the country.

According to the news outlet, most Iranian citizens encountered problems when trying to access their bank accounts, including an inability to withdraw funds from ATMs. Following the announcement, images were circulated online of ATMs in Iran displaying a message that read: "Dear customers, it is currently impossible to withdraw money because the entire national budget of Iran has been invested in the war, supporting the corrupt regime of the Islamic Republic."

The announcement of the cyberattack against the Iranian bank came about a day after Iran warned that part of its response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh would include cyberattacks against national infrastructure in Israel.

Beyond this report, it was difficult to find further evidence of the cyberattack on Iran. No one has yet claimed responsibility for it, and the Iranian regime issued a statement claiming that no such attack had occurred.

Unless information is leaked to Telegram channels or the dark web, we won’t know if a cyberattack truly took place. However, the mere existence of such a cyberattack seems to be troubling the Iranians, who rushed to deny it.

What can be learned?

Several insights can be drawn from this story.

The first is that one of the key elements in any cyberattack, at least in those whose effects are visible (such as service disruptions), is the psychological dimension. Psychological warfare plays a significant role in military campaigns.

Cyberattacks play a crucial role in influencing public opinion, creating a sense of chaos, and undermining national and personal security.

Secondly, cyberattack tools have a significant dimension in warfare itself, whether the intensity is high or low.

Cyberattacks against national infrastructures, such as banking, energy, water, transportation, or healthcare systems, have an impact on the battlefield and the ability to achieve military and state goals.

In this context, one can also recall the Russian cyberattack on Ukraine’s power grid during the first Russian invasion of the country. After cutting power to a quarter of a million households in Ukraine, the Russian ground invasion began with great intensity, as the forces took advantage of the chaos created in a country without electricity.

And finally, every citizen in Israel is on edge regarding the manner and timing of Iran's response to the assassination of Haniyeh, an assassination for which Israel has not taken responsibility.

It must be remembered that such a response could also come in the form of targeted cyberattacks on Israel's national infrastructure—attacks with the potential for damage no less significant than a barrage of missiles or drones.

The State of Israel, including both the public and private sectors, must be vigilant and prepared on all cyber fronts for Iranian attacks.

We must defend not only from the skies or along the land borders but also in the virtual realm, which has a critical impact on national security and the state's ability to provide everything necessary for its economy and its citizens.