An Iran government-linked hacking group targeted a website of the U.S. Federal Depository Library Program in retaliation for a drone strike in Iraq that resulted in the death of an Iranian major general, SiliconANGLE reported Sunday.
“This is message from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the threat actors wrote on the website. “This is only a small part of Iran’s cyber ability. We’re always ready. To be continued.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency confirmed the breach but did not attest that the hack was carried out by Iranian state-sponsored actors.
“Iran will retaliate. There is no doubt about this,” Hank Thomas, CEO of venture capital firm Strategic Cyber Ventures. “Whowing off their offensive cyber capabilities and the reach it provides them beyond the region could very well be a part of their most likely course of action. A most dangerous course of action includes a combination of cyber and kinetic strikes both inside the region and beyond.”
The air strike on Jan. 3 led to the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani of Iran, according to the report.
