TechCrunch reports that Iran's Bank Sepah was allegedly breached and disrupted by pro-Israeli hacktivist operation Predatory Sparrow, also known as Gonjeshke Darande, which accused the state-owned bank of evading sanctions and leveraging the country's funds to support its military nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its terrorist proxies.
While Bank Sepah has not acknowledged the intrusion, numerous branches were reported by Iran International to have been closed amid "widespread banking disruptions". Predatory Sparrow's assertions come as tensions between Iran and Israel have intensified after the latter commenced military strikes against the former's military bases and nuclear energy facilities on Friday. Despite lacking information regarding the identity of threat actors behind Predatory Sparrow, the hacktivist group was noted by cybersecurity researchers to have been credible in its attack claims. "Predatory Sparrow's past cyber attacks on Iranian steel plants and gas stations have demonstrated tangible effects in Iran," said former National Security Agency Director of Cybersecurity Rob Joyce.
While Bank Sepah has not acknowledged the intrusion, numerous branches were reported by Iran International to have been closed amid "widespread banking disruptions". Predatory Sparrow's assertions come as tensions between Iran and Israel have intensified after the latter commenced military strikes against the former's military bases and nuclear energy facilities on Friday. Despite lacking information regarding the identity of threat actors behind Predatory Sparrow, the hacktivist group was noted by cybersecurity researchers to have been credible in its attack claims. "Predatory Sparrow's past cyber attacks on Iranian steel plants and gas stations have demonstrated tangible effects in Iran," said former National Security Agency Director of Cybersecurity Rob Joyce.
