Alerts: CISA, FBI, NSA, and International Partners Release Advisory on Iranian Cyber Actors Targeting Critical Infrastructure Organizations Using Brute Force

Source URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2024/10/16/cisa-fbi-nsa-and-international-partners-release-advisory-iranian-cyber-actors-targeting-critical
Source: Alerts
Title: CISA, FBI, NSA, and International Partners Release Advisory on Iranian Cyber Actors Targeting Critical Infrastructure Organizations Using Brute Force

Feedly Summary:
Today, CISA—with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Security Agency (NSA), and international partners—released joint Cybersecurity Advisory Iranian Cyber Actors Brute Force and Credential Access Activity Compromises Critical Infrastructure. This advisory provides known indicators of compromise (IOCs) and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by Iranian actors to impact organizations across multiple critical infrastructure sectors.
Since October 2023, Iranian actors have used brute force and password spraying to compromise user accounts and obtain access to organizations in the healthcare and public health (HPH), government, information technology, engineering, and energy sectors.
CISA and partners recommend critical infrastructure organizations follow the provided guidance, as well as ensure all accounts use strong passwords and register a second form of authentication.
For more information on Iranian state-sponsored threat actor activity, see CISA’s Iran Cyber Threat Overview and Advisories page. Visit CISA’s Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals for more information on the CPGs, including more recommended baseline protections.

AI Summary and Description: Yes

Summary: The text highlights a joint Cybersecurity Advisory issued by CISA, FBI, and NSA regarding Iranian cyber actors targeting critical infrastructure sectors through brute force attacks. It emphasizes the importance of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication as defenses against these threats.

Detailed Description: The advisory released by CISA outlines significant cyber threats posed by Iranian actors, specifically focusing on their tactics to compromise critical infrastructure. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

– **Collaboration**: The advisory is a joint effort involving CISA, FBI, NSA, and international partners, showcasing a unified approach to tackling cyber threats from state-sponsored actors.

– **Targets**: Iranian cyber actors have been identified targeting multiple sectors critical to national security, including:
– Healthcare and Public Health (HPH)
– Government
– Information Technology
– Engineering
– Energy

– **Attack Techniques**: The actors are leveraging brute force and password spraying methods, which are common attack techniques used to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.

– **Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)**: The advisory provides specific IOCs that organizations should be vigilant about, helping them identify potential indicators of unauthorized access.

– **Recommendations**: CISA advises organizations to:
– Follow the provided guidance rigorously.
– Enforce strong password policies.
– Implement a second form of authentication (multi-factor authentication) to enhance security measures.

– **Further Resources**: For a broader understanding of the threat landscape associated with Iranian state-sponsored activities, the advisory references additional materials on CISA’s website, including:
– Iran Cyber Threat Overview and Advisories
– Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) which outline recommended baseline protections for organizations.

Overall, this advisory serves as a critical resource for security professionals in the identified sectors, underscoring the need for vigilant cybersecurity practices and collaboration to mitigate vulnerabilities against sophisticated attack methods.