The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) was reportedly hit with a cyberattack on Wednesday alongside several other banks in the country, causing disarray within Iran’s financial system.
According to a report by Iran International, the scale and impact of the attack indicates that it may be one of the largest cyberattacks Iran’s state infrastructure has ever faced. Hackers also reportedly stole information belonging to account holders.
Notes were stuck to ATM machines by anonymous individuals reading “Dear customers, it is not possible to withdraw money from the bank because all of Iran’s budget and national resources have been invested in the war for the benefit of the corrupt regime of the Islamic Republic.”
The alleged cyberattack comes at a time of heightened tension as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, threatens to retaliate for the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The disruption also comes after reports that suggest of Iranian hacker involvement to influence upcoming US elections.
