The U.S. Is Preparing For A Cyber War With Iran

The United States believes that Iran is advancing on U.S. interests using cyber warfare according to CNN. The U.S. believes that Iran initiated a recent series of cyber attacks against American banks and oil companies in the Middle East. U.S. intelligence has been following the perpetrators and is preparing for the “soft” war to escalate.

An unnamed U.S. intelligence official is quoted by CNN as saying:

“We strongly believe there is a relationship between the people typing the code and people running the government,”

Another senior U.S. official said:

“It certainly is the case that Iran is improving its capabilities in the cyber field. We’re paying attention. We are concerned about their increasing ability to operate in this realm…”

This come son the heels of a major speech by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, where he told the audience that he believed it was a vital U.S. priority to harden its cyber defenses against exterior threats.

Recently a computer virus known as Shamoon, infected computers at the Saudi state oil company ARAMCO and in Qatar Ras Gas was also attacked. In Saudi Arabia alone more than 30,000 computers were destroyed by the virus.

There is a growing fear among U.S. intelligence agencies that future wars may not always start on the battle field but over the net. In addition to attacks by countries in the Middle East there has been a real fear that China has been gaining valuable commercial and intelligence information gleaned from cyber attacks. Friction between Iran, Israel and the U.S. has lead to recent fears about Iranian cyber attacks.

Iranian Independent News Service (IINS) reported:

“Iran will not give in to “bullying” at the negotiating table with world powers over its disputed nuclear programme despite new economic sanctions, its supreme leader said on Tuesday…, the West ‘keeps saying pressure against Iran is aimed at forcing the Islamic republic to return to the negotiating table’ about the nuclear program, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in remarks carried on state television. But when did we leave the table that now we need to return?’ he asked during his visit to the northeastern province of North Khorasan…Their real objective is (forcing) the Iranian nation to surrender to their bullying at the negotiating table… (but) you are too weak to bring Iran to its knees,’ said Khamenei.”

Do you think Americans should be worried about Iranian cyber attacks?