Did Iran-linked hackers shut down a UK power plant?
What's the story
A cyberattack, attributed to Iranian-linked hackers, has temporarily disabled a British power plant. The attack targeted a small-scale energy generator and did not pose any threat to the wider energy system of the UK. The incident marks an apparent escalation in Iran's cyber warfare capabilities after the UK permitted US "defensive" operations against Tehran from its bases.
Incident details
Attack shut down plant for 4 days
The cyberattack resulted in a four-day shutdown of the power plant, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
However, a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero clarified that "this story refers to an incident impacting a small-scale energy generator, and at no point was there a risk to the wider energy system."
They assured that "the UK has a highly resilient energy system" and works closely with the sector to protect infrastructure.
Security concerns
NCSC has not received reports of outages
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which deals with attacks on critical infrastructure, has not received any reports of outages from regulated operators of power stations.
However, Richard Horne, the NCSC's chief executive, had warned earlier this year that hostile states such as Russia, China, and Iran are increasingly targeting systems behind UK's key services.
Policy position
UK has allowed US to launch defensive operations from bases
The UK government had previously said it was "ready to defend itself" after Iran's military warned that any bases being used by the US were "legitimate targets."
The UK has allowed the US to launch defensive operations from British bases hosting American planes since its war on Iran began.
However, it has refused to assist in offensive operations, a policy that remains unchanged under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Cyber history
Iran accused of cyberattacks against other nations
Iran has long been accused of conducting cyberattacks against other nations, including a major blackout in Turkey in 2015 and potential hacks of Israeli government websites in 2022.
US government security agencies had also warned earlier this year about critical infrastructure attacks by hackers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Attack timeline
Attack on plant coincided with string of cyberattacks in US
The UK power plant attack is said to have happened last month, around the same time as a string of cyberattacks on US water facilities.
The affected facility was small and did not affect the overall electricity supply or Britain's energy generation.
British officials have not named the plant due to security concerns but confirmed that it was reported to the NCSC.