Tag Archive for: Fuel

Fuel Crisis In Iran: Cyberattack Hits Petrol Pumps, Israel Tied To Hacking


(MENAFN– AsiaNet News) A cyber crisis surfaced in Iran as a hacking group, purportedly from Israel, allegedly disrupted a significant portion of the country’s gas stations. Termed “Gonjeshke Darande” or “predatory sparrow,” this group reportedly executed a disabling maneuver, causing approximately 70% of Iran’s gas stations to cease operations, reported the Times of Israel.

The disruption, flagged as a probable case of sabotage involving cyberattacks, was highlighted on Iranian state TV. It attributed the station irregularities to a “software problem” and advised citizens against rushing to the operational stations.

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Previously, the Gonjeshke Darande faction had targeted a key steel company in Iran’s southwest in 2022. They also claimed responsibility for a cyber assault on the country’s fuel distribution system in 2021, which led to widespread station closures and extensive queues of frustrated motorists.

The hackers behind the recent incident asserted that they had systematically disabled gas pumps across Iran. Their motivation was cited as a reaction to what they deemed as the Islamic Republic’s aggressive actions in the region. Additionally, they issued a cautionary message to Khamenei, implying consequences for what they termed as playing with fire.

This development unfolds amidst escalated conflicts involving Iran-backed entities such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, engaging in heightened hostilities against Israel, especially during the ongoing war with Hamas.

Iran has grappled with a slew of cyber assaults on various fronts, targeting its filling stations, railways, and industrial sectors. Instances of breaching surveillance cameras in government buildings, including prisons, have been reported in the past. Moreover, the country took measures to isolate much of its government infrastructure from the internet after the Stuxnet computer virus, believed to be a US-Israeli creation, disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges at nuclear sites in the late 2000s.

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Generative AI providing fuel for hackers, DISA Director Skinner says


BALTIMORE — Generative artificial intelligence, software capable of carrying a convincing, human-like conversation or crafting content like computer code with little prompting, will make hackers more sophisticated, ultimately raising the bar for U.S. safeguards, according to the leader of the Defense Information Systems Agency.

Director Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner said the technology is one of the most disruptive developments he’s seen in a long time, and has serious security implications. A similar warning was issued by the National Security Agency’s cybersecurity boss, Rob Joyce, earlier this year.

“Those who harness that, and can understand how to best leverage it, but also how to best protect against it, are going to be the ones who have the high ground,” Skinner said May 2 at the AFCEA TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore. “We in this room are thinking about how this applies to cybersecurity. How does it apply to intelligence? How does it apply to our warfighting capabilities?”

Generative AI in recent months was popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which accrued more than 1 million users within a week of its launch. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, in March told ABC News he worries about how these models could be used for widespread disinformation and “could be used for offensive cyberattacks.”

US Air Force shifting hundreds of computer apps to the cloud

Skinner on Tuesday predicted generative AI would not be a significant tool for “high-end adversaries.” Rather, the tech “is going to help a whole bunch of other individuals get up to that level in a much faster manner.”

“So how do we have the protective systems, the security and the network capabilities to support protecting that data and support our folks?” he said.

The U.S. considers China and Russia top-tier threats in the virtual world. Other foes include Iran and North Korea, according to the Biden administration’s cybersecurity strategy, which promised the use of all instruments of national power to fend off cyber misbehavior.

Mastery of AI is thought key to enduring international competitiveness in defense, finance and other sectors. At least 685 AI projects, including several tied to major weapons…

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Top U.S. Fuel Pipeline Hires Cyber Safety Boss Months After Hack


(Bloomberg) — Colonial Pipeline Co., which manages the largest fuel conduit in the U.S., hired a Chief Information Security Officer nine months after a ransomware attack completely paralyzed its operations, drove up gasoline prices and sparked shortages at filling stations along the East Coast. 

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Digital attacks fuel the need for network security experts | FIU News


Cyberattacks are surging in all categories of the digital sphere and are likely to become more frequent and damaging, says Alexander Perez-Pons, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

With high profile attacks on network management company SolarWinds; the Colonial Pipeline; meat processing company JBS; and software firm Kaseya the urgency for professionals who can counteract, contain and even prevent network breaches has moved to the forefront, highlighting the great need for graduates with an M.S. in Computer Engineering, which focuses on network security and takes just 10 months to complete.

Security needs

“If you look at the horizon, there will be what looks like an explosion in IoT devices—more devices everywhere recording, monitoring, gathering information,” says Perez-Pons. “These devices make our lives easier, but how can security now not be a major factor?”

When looking at the past 30-plus years of devices and programming, Perez-Pons points out that decades ago, the main push was the functionality and capability of a product. Security for devices was not a main component.

“Consumers assume that companies are doing their due diligence to protect their data with security measures,” cautions Perez-Pons, who admits he does whatever possible to keep his exposure limited.

One common security measure that is taken to limit data exposure is using two-factor identification. Information is a commodity that can be traded even when there are security measures in place—there are privacy concerns today that question how much control you have over your data, he explains. There’s always a possibility that somebody may try to gain access to your devices and this is why two-factor identification is a good thing because it protects the network.

“Minimizing your digital ‘surface’ or exposure is a good way of thinking,” says Perez-Pons, and it starts with cybersecurity that considers network security. “So, if the networks are safe, good communication can take place and anything that is suspicious or could have malicious intent can be identified and stopped before it goes further.”

National need

This was the case in the Kaseya breach….

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