A suspected cyberattack has caused widespread disruption at gas stations throughout Iran

On Monday, around 70% of gas stations in Iran were rendered non-operational due to what is believed to be an act of sabotage, possibly a cyberattack, as reported by Iranian state TV. The disruption was attributed to a “software problem,” and the public was advised not to crowd the remaining functioning stations.

Israeli media sources, including the Times of Israel, have speculated that the outage might be the work of a hacker group known as “Gonjeshke Darande” or predatory sparrow. The Iranian Oil Ministry confirmed that more than 30% of gas stations are still operational, out of a total of around 33,000 in the country.

Iran has experienced a series of cyberattacks in recent years, targeting its fuel stations, railway system, industries, and government infrastructure, including surveillance systems in official buildings and prisons.

In 2022, the Gonjeshke Darande group reportedly hacked a major steel company in the southwest of Iran. Moreover, a significant cyberattack in 2021 on Iran’s fuel distribution system brought gas stations nationwide to a standstill, causing extensive queues and public frustration. The hacking group claimed responsibility for that attack as well.

Following the Stuxnet computer virus incident, which disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges at nuclear sites in the late 2000s and is widely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli effort, Iran detached much of its government infrastructure from the internet.

Iran’s ongoing sanctions from Western countries have resulted in difficulties in acquiring modern hardware and software. The country often relies on Chinese electronics or outdated systems that no longer receive updates from manufacturers, making it more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Pirated software, including Windows, is commonly used throughout Iran.