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Possible Cascading Security Impacts of US Strikes on Strategic Iranian Nuclear Targets

Health-ISAC published this bulletin at TLP:WHITE to spread awareness within the health sector.

 

Update June 23:

 

On June 23, 2025, Qatari missile defense systems intercepted Iranian missiles targeting the Al Udeid Air Base. The air base is the largest US military base in the Middle East, making the attack a major escalation in the war. All missiles were intercepted, and no casualties were sustained by the US forces. 

There is a high likelihood that the US will respond to this attempted attack with more military action against Iranian military targets. Israel has continued strikes against Iranian military installations as part of Operation Rising Lion. Incurring strikes along two fronts between the US and Israel may prompt Iran to take significantly more damaging kinetic measures in the following months. This will likely result in an accelerated escalation of the war in both kinetic and cyber domains.

Members, especially those in the US and Israel, are advised to familiarize themselves with Iranian nation-state tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) as nation-state cyber attacks against US, Israel, and NATO critical infrastructure become more likely. Furthermore, hacktivist and cybercriminal collectives sympathetic to Iran may increase the scope and frequency of cyber attacks against US and Israeli targets as the war escalates.

Jun 22, 2025

On June 21, 2025, the US carried out three strategic strikes against the following nuclear facilities in Iran:

  • Fordow – Secure underground uranium enrichment facility

  • Natanz – Iran’s largest uranium enrichment complex with multiple facilities above and below ground

  • Isfahan – Nuclear research and development facility

The extent of damage done to these facilities has not been verified, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that it has not observed an increase in radiation levels around the struck facilities. 

Cybersecurity Impacts:

The formal involvement of the US military in the Israel-Iran war will likely broaden the targeting scope of hacktivist groups currently engaged in supporting Iran to include US and NATO member state critical infrastructure targets. This may manifest in the form of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, similar to those seen during the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Hacktivist groups may be working in closer proximity to Iranian state entities as Iran explores asymmetric warfare measures to retaliate against the US and Israel. These asymmetric measures may include state-backed hacktivism, which could manifest in pro-Iranian hacktivist groups receiving resources and tooling from Iranian nation-state threat actor groups.  

Similarly, due to the presence of existing hacktivist groups acting in support of Iran, Iranian state-sponsored groups may masquerade as hacktivist groups to launch sophisticated attacks against US and Israeli critical infrastructure in an attempt to obscure state involvement by blending in with pro-Iran hacktivist collectives. 

Physical Security Impacts:

The strikes against Iran could result in an increase in protests in the US. Large protests could disrupt emergency medical service (EMS) routes and cause possible influxes of patients in large cities. 

There is also a risk of increased terrorism attempts by groups sympathetic to Iran and against the US and Israel. This risk is significantly higher for Israel due to the proximity of the Iranian-backed group Hamas. While present in the US, the threat may be primarily acted upon by fringe groups rather than organized terrorist cells due to the announcement of large groups like Hezbollah, which do not advocate for a response on US soil. Law enforcement agencies in the US are likely at a heightened state of readiness for potential retaliatory attacks.

 

Recommendations and Mitigation Strategies

Health sector organizations are encouraged to take the following precautions to minimize risk:

DDoS Resilience –

DDoS attacks are a common retaliatory measure used by hacktivists due to their low cost and high impact.

  • DDoS Mitigation Services – Proactively contact your DDoS mitigation service provider to ensure they are aware of the heightened threat landscape. Confirm that your profiles are correctly configured
  • Application-Layer Defenses – Tighten rate-limiting rules on web servers and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to protect against DDoS attacks that mimic legitimate user traffic
  • Contingency Planning – Maintain a backup site in the event of a successful DDoS attack against your public-facing website

 

Business Resilience –

There are several steps members can take to bolster their security posture and increase resilience.

  • Increasing Security Presence – Making security guards visible to the public and displaying signage to deter potential attackers

  • Prepare for Influx of Patients – Members in big cities are encouraged to prepare for an influx of patients due to possible protests

  • Spread Awareness of Possible Rerouting to EMS Personnel – Members are encouraged to inform EMS personnel of possible protests and advise them to prepare for sudden rerouting

 

Download the threat bulletin.2025 Bulletin TLPWHITE D02bedcb Possible Cascading Security Impacts Of Us Strikes On Strategic Iranian Nuclea
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