Hacktivists target Iran’s Bank Sepah in major cyberattack
Bank Sepah and other military-linked banks hit by major cyber disruption.
A cyberattack has reportedly hit Iran’s Bank Sepah by the hacktivist group Predatory Sparrow. The group announced on Tuesday that it had ‘destroyed all data’ at the bank, which is closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s military.
Several Bank Sepah branches were closed, and customers reported being unable to access their accounts.
The attack coincided with broader banking disruptions in Iran, affecting services at Kosar and Ansar banks, both associated with military entities and subject to US sanctions.
Authorities in Iran have yet to publicly acknowledge the attack, though the IRGC-linked Fars news agency claimed the issues would be resolved in a few hours.
Predatory Sparrow said it targeted Bank Sepah for its alleged role in financing Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes and in helping the country circumvent international sanctions.
The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Iranian steel plants and fuel stations and is widely believed by Tehran to receive foreign support, particularly from Israel.
Bank Sepah, one of the country’s oldest financial institutions, operates around 1,800 branches within Iran and maintains offices across Europe. The United States sanctioned the bank in 2019 following Iran’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.
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