Iranian cyber attack on UK power plant ‘should concern every organization responsible for keeping this country running’

A small UK power plant was reportedly shut down for four days last month following a cyber attack attributed to Iranian hackers.

The incident appears to have affected a small-scale gas generator, rather than a large power station, and did not affect the wider grid.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the government has contacted the chief executives of power companies following the incident and has written to businesses with advice on the steps they should take to protect themselves.

The attack has been attributed to hackers affiliated to the Iranian government, and is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point, said the incident highlights the potential risks posed by threats to critical infrastructure.

“This marks a grave escalation in the Iran conflict because a hostile state-linked cyber threat has reportedly reached into UK energy infrastructure and caused a physical shutdown lasting four days,” he said.

“That should concern every organization responsible for keeping this country running. For most Brits, the Iran conflict is happening thousands of miles away and cyber warfare probably still conjures up images of stolen passwords, leaked data and companies being held to ransom,” Stewart added.

“The prospect of a hostile state being able to reach into the infrastructure beneath our everyday lives changes that dramatically."

Rising state-sponsored threats

Notably, the incident coincided with a series of attacks on US water supply infrastructure in recent weeks. More than a dozen states were affected in the campaign, which is believed to be linked to Iranian-backed threat groups.

The attacks targeted internet-exposed programmable logic controllers (PLCs), with the attackers remotely changing IP addresses and turning on and setting passwords.

Several water firms were left unable to view connected equipment, and in some cases it was shut down.

The FBI has recommended disconnecting PLCs from the public-facing internet, strictly controlling access to them, tightening up passwords, and reviewing project files running on PLCs for unauthorized changes.

UK infrastructure in the crosshairs

According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the UK is experiencing increased threats from Iranian-backed cyber groups.

Earlier this year, the agency issued a warning over heightened risk of indirect threats for organizations with a presence, or supply chains, in the Middle East.

Stewart suggested that the impact of an attack on larger power supply operators or other critical infrastructure firms could be disastrous.

"We have to ask what happens if the next target is bigger, more critical or more deeply connected to the services millions of people rely on. Britain’s critical national infrastructure underpins almost every part of modern life, including electricity, water, transport and communications, and those systems are increasingly digital, interconnected and dependent on one another," he said.

"The question now has to be whether Britain is genuinely ready if something more serious follows.”

A spokesperson for the UK government told ITPro that it's working on an Energy Resilience Strategy. Set for publication later this year, this will outline plans for ensuring the energy system remains stable and secure.

"The UK has a highly resilience energy system. We work closely with the energy sector to protect infrastructure and ensure the highest standards of security," the spokesperson added.

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