Around 4,300 gas stations across Iran were disabled by Tuesday’s cyberattack, it was revealed by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, and lasted until Wednesday when the gasoline distribution returned to normal.
Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi stated that the cyberattack was meant to create disorder, according to the Associated Press, stating that “there should be serious readiness in the field of cyberwar and related bodies should not allow the enemy to follow their ominous aims to create problems.”
The cyberattack disrupted the sale of heavily subsidized gasoline across the Islamic Republic, which Raisi said on Wednesday was designed to create “disorder and disruption.”
The details of the attack and its source are under investigation, Abul-Hassan Firouzabadi, the Secretary of the Supreme Council to Regulate Virtual Space, told IRNA.
While the origin of the attacks is unknown, some have speculated that it was caused by the US, Israel or local Iranian anti-regime groups.
The Oil Ministry said only sales with smart cards used for cheaper, rationed gasoline was disrupted, Iranian news outlet SHANA reported.
Destroyed petrol pumps are pictured at a gas station, after protests against increased fuel prices, in Tehran. (credit: REUTERS)
Six months ago, Iran’s Tasnim News claimed there was a massive cyber attack on a US fuel network, where hackers seized 100 gigabytes of network information.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.
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