IRAN’S GAS STATIONS DISRUPTED BY MASSIVE CYBERATTACK.

Tue 26 October 2021:

Authorities claimed on Tuesday that a massive cyberattack has caused significant disruption at gas stations across Iran, damaging fuel distribution facilities.

No one has claimed responsibility for the incident, which has shocked the country and sparked fears of a fuel shortage.

Officials from Iran’s energy ministry told state media that emergency talks were being held to address the problem, which has caused the shutdown of gas stations around the country, including in Tehran.

The software that facilitates a smart card payment for subsidized fuel, which is widely used in Iran, was the focus of the malware.

The attack appears to be timed with the anniversary of the November 2019 violent protests in Iran over fuel price hikes, which claimed many lives.

Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmed Wahedi, trying to allay public fears, said in a statement that there was “no plan to increase fuel prices” this time, asking people “not to worry”.

He attributed the disruption of fuel distribution services to a “technical glitch”, which he assured will be “fixed soon”.

Mostafa Akhi, a spokesman for parliament’s energy commission, also ruled out fuel price hikes, urging people not to rush to gas stations until the problem is solved.

Meanwhile, the semi-government news agency ISNA issued a statement on Tuesday claiming that their website had also been targeted in a hack.

It came after the news website published a piece regarding the fuel service disruption.

FILE PHOTO

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