As the conflict in Iran reaches a critical tipping point for the US, a cyberwarfare expert has warned that an attack by Iranian hackers is not just possible, it’s likely.
James Knight, who has over 25 years of experience in digital security, told the Daily Mail that Americans should be prepared for bank disruptions and potential blackouts if the US officially enters the fighting between Israel and Iran.
Moreover, Knight warned that hackers have already planted malware in US systems that could be activated in a desperate final act of revenge by the Iranian government in the coming days.
‘Even if the US does not get involved, we could expect some lone wolves who are going to want to implement some sort of revenge,’ Knight cautioned.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a statement read by a television presenter that his country will not accept President Donald Trump’s call for an unconditional surrender.
After refusing demands to give up their nuclear program, Iran has warned that the US joining the conflict would mean ‘all-out war.’
In the digital realm, Knight revealed that this could mean multiple teams of Iranian hackers targeting key US lifelines, including banks, power grids, oil pipelines and even hospitals.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if they try and start attacking us. Crypto exchanges, US banking infrastructure – that wouldn’t surprise me,’ the Knight said.
Knight, a security expert for DigitalWarfare.com, works with companies and government agencies to test their cyber defenses.
Organizations hire ‘pen testers’ like Knight to break through their security on purpose to see where they are vulnerable.
The digital guru revealed that he has already been contacted by organizations regarding the potential of an Iranian cyberattack against American businesses.
Knight explained that the likeliest target of a cyberattack will come against major power plants and energy production facilities, aimed at causing chaos throughout the US rather than inflicting lasting harm.
‘It would be the revenge, tit for tat, sort of attacks,’ he said. ‘Taking things down, causing blackouts.’
However, Knight explained that each Iranian cyber unit specializes in a different type of target, and some are more focused on targeting everyday Americans by stealing their private information, passwords and breaking into large networks like hospitals.
‘There’s no security in these hospitals and healthcare systems. So yeah, that’s a very soft target,’ Knight warned.
He added that hackers could break into a hospital receptionist’s computer and gain access to critical medical devices in ICUs, shutting down life-saving equipment across the US.
Meanwhile, some hackers are expected to target American financial centers, including major banks, payment processing companies, and digital currency platforms.
‘It’s really about revenge and disruption. They know that it’s not going to have a long-term impact,’ Knight noted.
‘They’re not going to take down the US. They’re not going to take down individuals. They’re just looking to create pain,’ he continued.
As for what the public can do to protect themselves from these more direct attacks, Knight echoed the same critical measures you should take to defend against any hacker.
‘Be vigilant. That’s the most important thing, really. Be careful of the emails you’re receiving,’ he said.
‘Make sure you’re setting strong passwords, that you’re not reusing [them].’
Additionally, Knight said everyone should be regularly updating their computers and mobile devices with the latest security updates they receive.
Americans can also immediately switch to multi-factor authentication, which adds another layer of security, by sending a secret code to a person’s phone or email when they log into certain sites.
Knight also recommended using passkeys to log into your devices, a new type of security method that takes verifying your identity to the next level.
Passkeys are a passwordless, phishing-resistant technology using cryptographic keys stored on a user’s devices and are authenticated using biometrics, like a fingerprint, face scan or a PIN.
While it’s impossible to know whether an Iranian hacker is targeting your computer or emails, Knight said that the country won’t stay quiet about breaching US defenses for long.
‘They’re going to take credit for it immediately, they’re not afraid to give a lot of love. They always like to boast how they’re going to do something, even if it never happens,’ Knight claims.
Although Knight said that the Iranian cyber units are ‘highly skilled’ and have been carrying out these kinds of attacks for years, he believes the US government’s cybersecurity teams are well prepared to counter the potential threat.
He added Iran is already under attack by Israeli cyber units, who he called the best in the world at the art of digital warfare.
However, he said that Iran does have an ace up their sleeve: their hackers have already installed harmful malware inside American computer networks in preparation for this looming war.
‘Hackers can be in systems for literally years. That’s what every hacking group is going to try to do. They get in, they get persistent access, they harden systems, embed themselves undetected, and they’ll sit there literally for years and years, and maybe it never gets used,’ Knight explained.
He added that these malicious programs are only going to be activated when Iran thinks ‘it’s absolutely necessary’ or when the country has nothing left to lose in a fight with the US.
‘That hacking group will burn the system, and as soon as it’s used, it can’t be used again,’ Knight explained.
Despite the desperate and short-term nature of these attacks, Knight cautioned that Americans still need to be ready if Iran attacks through the internet.
‘Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Have some extra cash, have some canned food,’ he recommended.
‘In the long term, things will pretty quickly get back on their feet. Even if they disrupt critical infrastructure and power goes down, it’ll be restored pretty quickly. Even if it took a week or two, it’s going to come back. I don’t think it’ll take that long. Things will be reconfigured, new systems put in place.’
