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US officials suspect Iranian hackers breached automatic tank gauge systems at US gas stations, altering display readings and raising serious fuel infrastructure security concerns
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Amid the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, US officials now suspect Iranian hackers are behind a series of breaches of systems that monitor the amount of fuel in storage tanks serving gas stations in multiple states.
According to a report by CNN, the hackers responsible exploited automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems that were exposed online and left unprotected by passwords. In some cases, hackers changed the display readings on the tanks, though not the actual fuel levels.
While such intrusions are not known to have caused physical damage to the system, this raises a serious security concern because access to an ATG could allow hackers to make a gas leak go undetected, the outlet reported, citing private experts and US officials.
Why US Officials Suspect Iranian Hackers Are Behind ATG System Breach?
The report said Tehra has a history of targeting the gas tank systems. However, citing sources briefed on the investigation, the outlet added that the US government was not able to definitively determine who was behind the attack due to a lack of forensic evidence left by the hackers.
If confirmed, this would be the latest case of Iran targeting critical infrastructure of the United Stated under Trump administration, which remains out of reach of Iranian drones and missiles, amid the US-Iran conflict.
Plus, it could also create a sensitive issue for Trump’s administration by drawing further attention to rising petrol prices linked to the war. According to a recent CNN poll, roughly 75 percent of US adults believe the Iran war has hurt their financial situation.
This also serves as a warning to many US critical infrastructure operators, who have struggled to secure their systems despite years of government’s guidance and warnings.
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