America can expect very serious cyberattacks originating from Iran in the coming weeks. This dismal news comes from a large majority of internet experts interviewed by reporters during the last five days. Such digital combat is likely to be aimed primarily at American oil refineries, the nation’s electricity grid, and our banking and other financial institutions. In retaliation for the American assasination of Iranian top dog military leader Qassen Soleimani.
According to several different cybersecurity groups, Iran poses the greatest danger of cyber disruption because their religious leaders are extremely single-minded and feel motivated both by hatred for the United States, the ‘Great Satan’ and because of the recent killing. Plus Iran is one of the top five countries in the world today with advanced cyber technology capable of scaling America’s firewalls with relative ease. Their ability to cause psychological and physical damage could be immense.
Experts predict a series of low level cyber disruptions originating in Iran, which will knock the American economy off-balance, but not be serious enough to provoke a full scale declaration of war in return. Iran, like other rogue states such as North Korea, has shown a willingness to fiddle with foreign internet as an act of aggression, while refraining from direct physical confrontation with traditional military attacks.