Iranian CLEAVER hackers may DRAIN energy and defence firms, warn Feds

Iranian hackers may be sniffing out education, defence and energy targets as part of a well-planned operation, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has reportedly warned.

A secret FBI document dubbed "Flash, seen by Reuters, offered advice to businesses on how to foil any such attacks.

It comes after Cylance researchers revealed earlier this month that an alleged Iranian hacking group had stepped up its two-year-long campaign to breach the security systems of critical infrastructure around the globe.

Cylance boss Stuart McClure said last week that its Operation Cleaver report – named after the alleged hacking group whose existence is denied by the state – contained only verifiable facts.

It's understood that some 50 targets and compromised victims had been uncovered, which included US companies and agencies such as telcos, airports and defence contractors.

According to the news wire, the Flash report appeared to show that the hacking operation was even more widespread than Cylance's own research had suggested.

"It underscores Iran's determination and fixation on large-scale compromise of critical infrastructure," McClure opined in a statement to Reuters. ®