Pro-Israel Hacktivist Group Claims Responsibility for Alleged Cyberattack on Iranian Bank
On Tuesday, the pro-Israel hacktivist group known as Predatory Sparrow claimed they successfully breached and disabled Iran’s Bank Sepah.
Also recognized by its Persian name, Gonjeshke Darande, the group shared their actions on X.
“We, ‘Gonjeshke Darande,’ carried out cyberattacks that compromised data from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ‘Bank Sepah,’” the group stated.
They alleged that Bank Sepah is an entity that “has bypassed international sanctions and used the funds of Iranian citizens to back the regime’s terrorist affiliates, its ballistic missile programs, and its military nuclear aspirations.”
Contact Us
Do you have more information regarding Predatory Sparrow? Or other hacking collectives operating in Israel and Iran? For secure communication from a personal device and network, feel free to contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or through Telegram and Keybase @lorenzofb, or via email.
According to the independent news outlet Iran International, there are signs of “significant banking issues” throughout the country. The outlet reported that several Bank Sepah branches shut down on Tuesday, with customers experiencing trouble accessing their accounts.
Ariel Oseran, a reporter for i24NEWS, posted images of ATMs in Iran showing error messages.
TechCrunch has not been able to independently verify the group’s claims regarding the cyberattack. Attempts to reach two Bank Sepah email addresses resulted in errors, and responses from Bank Sepah offices in the U.K. and Italy are still awaited.
There has been no reply from Predatory Sparrow regarding a request for comment sent to their X account and through Telegram.
This alleged cyberattack on Bank Sepah occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, a conflict that escalated after Israel began targeting nuclear facilities, military locations, and high-ranking Iranian military officials on Friday.
The true identity of Predatory Sparrow remains uncertain. The group seems to present itself as either pro-Israel or anti-Iran and has targeted various organizations and businesses in Iran for years. Cybersecurity analysts indicate that the group has achieved significant successes in past operations and has made credible assertions.
“Despite appearances, this actor is not merely posturing,” remarked John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google’s Mandiant, on X.
Rob Joyce, a former NSA official now with the Biden administration, noted that “Predatory Sparrow’s prior cyberattacks on Iranian steel plants and gas stations have had noticeable effects within Iran.”
Among Predatory Sparrow’s most notable claimed hacks were against a steel manufacturer, which reportedly caused an explosive fire at the site, and against gas stations in Iran, resulting in disruptions for citizens trying to refuel their vehicles.
