Experts warn cyberattacks could become the next phase of the Iran conflict

The shooting war around Iran is already reshaping the Middle East, but security analysts say the next phase is just as likely to unfold on screens as on battlefields. As military exchanges intensify, experts warn that cyber operations could become a primary tool for retaliation and pressure against the United States, Israel and their allies.

That prospect is no longer theoretical. Intelligence groups, banks and infrastructure providers now treat Iranian-linked cyber activity as a core front in the conflict, not a sideshow.

From missiles to malware

The current crisis follows years of confrontation between Iran, the United States and Israel, but security firms say the tempo and ambition of hacking campaigns have shifted since joint strikes targeted Iranian leadership and military assets earlier this year.

A detailed Situation Report on Middle East Escalation describes how coordinated attacks by Israel and the US were followed almost immediately by a surge in digital activity, with adversary intelligence teams tracking new targeting of Western networks.

Another analysis of Iranian cyberattacks notes that Unit 42 has observed phishing campaigns, wiper malware and destructive tools that appear tailored for rapid deployment if political leaders in Tehran seek broader retaliation.

Researchers at Trellix argue that the Iranian cyber capability in 2026 reflects years of investment by Tehran in offensive units and proxy groups. Their study of Iranian cyber capability ties that growth to earlier sanctions and the reinstatement of economic pressure that limited conventional options and pushed planners toward digital tools.

The same researchers describe how Mar political developments in the U.S. intensified economic and strategic pressure on Tehran and how that context helped shape the current playbook.

Experts see cyber as the next escalation

Threat intelligence teams now describe the conflict as hybrid, with artillery and drones on one side and distributed denial of service, data theft and wiper attacks on the other. A cyber advisory on Increased Cyber Risk U.S.–Israel–Iran Escalation explains that analysts used network telemetry, malware reverse engineering and incident response casework to map a threat landscape that now spans espionage, financial crime and sabotage.

In its Threat Brief, Unit 42 stresses in its Executive Summary that it has identified active phishing campaigns and warns that the current scope of cyberattacks could widen if cells outside of Iran receive new instructions.

The same threat brief highlights a section titled Current Scope of Cyberattacks and another labeled Threat Activity, which together describe how operators linked to Iran are experimenting with mobile malware, DDoS tools and ransomware partnerships.

Other security consultancies reach similar conclusions. A blog on heightened cyber risk following the February U.S./Israel–Iran escalation warns that Critical infrastructure providers (energy, utilities, telecommunications) and government- or defense-adjacent commercial organizations are particularly exposed.

That assessment notes that historically, Iran has launched broad campaigns rather than narrow, pinpoint operations and that collaboration with ransomware affiliate actors could amplify the reach of any future wave.

Expel’s incident responders, in a separate briefing on what security teams need to know about Iran’s cyber threat, emphasize that Mar intelligence suggests Iran has advanced cyber capabilities and that Iranian officials have openly declared their intent for revenge following U.S. and Israeli strikes.

The same TL;DR summary points to common lures such as fake job offers and malicious attachments, tactics that can quietly compromise corporate networks long before any public crisis.

Financial sector on alert

Nowhere is the anxiety more visible than in banking. Large US banks are on high alert for cyberattacks as Iran, with industry data flagging potential DDoS attacks and more sophisticated intrusions aimed at payment systems.

Executives and regulators are reviewing contingency plans that include traffic filtering, offline backups and manual workarounds for critical transactions, treating cyber risk as an extension of sanctions and kinetic conflict.

Regional media have amplified those concerns. One report on cybersecurity experts warning of potential cyberattacks amid war with Iran quotes practitioners who describe the internet itself as a battlefield.

Another local segment, By Charlie De Mar, frames the risk in personal terms, warning that ordinary consumers could see bank access disrupted even if the primary target is government policy.

Beyond banks: infrastructure and government

Analysts caution that energy grids, ports, hospitals and city governments face similar exposure. The blog on Critical infrastructure providers notes that energy, utilities and telecommunications networks are prime targets, along with international corporate systems that support logistics and defense supply chains.

Statescoop reports that All levels of United States government should prepare for a wave of low-level cyber activity, warning that even modest attacks on local agencies or school districts can snowball into service disruptions and supply chain complications.

At the same time, the Associated Press has documented how Pro Iranian hackers are targeting sites in the Middle East and starting to probe US organizations, citing The Associated Press and noting that some groups are cultivating ties to criminal hacking crews.

That report, filed from WASHINGTON, mentions that at least 52 hacking groups with pro-Iranian sympathies have surfaced in online forums since the conflict escalated.

Evidence of active operations

Evidence suggests the cyber fight is already underway. Pakistan Today reports that Israel accuses Iran hacking security cameras, alleging that Iranian operators tried to gain visibility into sensitive networks inside Israel while Israeli hackers hit back at targets in the other direction.

Another analysis of hybrid conflict notes that Cyber Escalation Follows, with coordinated operations by Israel and the US against Iranian assets mirrored by one of the largest observed surges in hostile network scanning and intrusion attempts.

Regional broadcasters, including WJAR, report that As the conflict with Iran continues, cybersecurity experts are raising alarm bells about DDoS and Infrastructure attacks that could hit transportation systems or universities far from the front lines.

Those experts argue that Hezbollah-linked actors and other aligned groups may also participate, adding layers of deniability and complexity.

What businesses are being told to do now

For corporate security teams, the message is blunt. A briefing on Cyber Retaliation From explains why U.S. Businesses Are on Alert and argues that Geopolitical tensions are increasingly spilling into corporate networks, making security awareness and operational resilience a board-level issue.

Cloud security specialists advise patching external-facing systems, tightening identity controls and rehearsing incident response plans that assume at least partial disruption of email, VPN and cloud storage.

At the same time, CBS Chicago highlights how local organizations are being urged to treat cyber hygiene as a wartime discipline, with By Charlie De Mar quoting experts who say even small municipalities should expect probing.

Another TV segment, By Ashley Bowerman, carries warnings that Close observers believe Iran could turn to digital warfare against the United States and Israel if leaders decide that direct military confrontation is too risky.

A conflict that will not stay in one region

One consistent theme across the research is that cyber fallout will not stay confined to the Middle East. The blog on Iran vs. Israel describes Operation Epic Fury Threat Intelligence and recounts how Iran retaliated by hitting 27 targets, with promises of further retaliation in the coming days.

Cloudsek’s Middle East Escalation report warns that adversary intelligence teams are tracking not only government and military victims but also multinational corporations whose only link to the conflict is their presence in strategic sectors.

State and local officials in the United States are being told to plan for supply chain disruptions, internet outages and disinformation campaigns along with direct hacking. The Statescoop analysis on low-level cyber activity argues that even modest intrusions can complicate emergency response or elections if they hit the wrong system at the wrong moment.

For now, much of the activity remains below the threshold of open cyber war, focused on probing, nuisance attacks and signaling. Yet the technical groundwork for something far more disruptive is already being laid, and the experts watching Mar escalation say that is exactly why governments and companies should treat the digital front as the next phase of the Iran conflict, not an afterthought.

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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.