23.08.2026 18:00
An Iran-linked hacker group caused a power plant in the UK to be offline for four days through a cyberattack they carried out.
Iran-linked hackers disabled a power plant in the UK for 4 days with a cyberattack.
POWER PLANT TAKEN OFFLINE IN CYBERATTACK
Iran-linked hackers have been accused of carrying out an unprecedented attack in the UK. According to a report in The Telegraph, a UK-based newspaper, hackers disabled a power plant in the country for the first time as a result of a cyberattack.
According to the newspaper, the incident occurred around the same time as various cyberattacks on water infrastructure last month that affected 12 states in the US and caused concern at the White House. The report noted that the incident was recorded as the most successful cyberattack of its kind.
PROBLEM LASTED FOR 4 DAYS
British authorities did not disclose the name of the power plant affected by the attack for security reasons. According to the British press, the target of the attack was a relatively small power plant, and it took staff 4 days to bring the facility back into operation.
It was stated that the plant's shutdown did not affect the country's electricity supply and did not pose a significant risk to the nation's energy system.
Following the attack, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) within the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the British intelligence agency, was notified. The government sent letters to executives of energy companies containing instructions to increase security measures.
INCREASING CYBERATTACKS RECENTLY
The NCSC called on organizations in the UK to review their security measures in March due to increasing cyber threats. In a statement in June, the agency's head, Richard Horne, said the NCSC had recorded more than 200 attacks on critical national infrastructure in the past year.
Since the start of the Iran war, the UK has allowed American aircraft to conduct 'defensive' operations from British bases where they are deployed, but has refused to support offensive operations. The new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, did not change this policy.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced last month that any base used in attacks on Iranian territory would be considered a 'legitimate target,' while the British government stated that the country was 'ready to defend itself.'
American security agencies also warned earlier this year that hacker groups linked to the IRGC could target critical infrastructure.