Covert Cyberattack Paralyzes Country for Four Full Days

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The United Kingdom fell victim to a cyberattack by a group linked to Iran last month. The incident forced a power plant to be temporarily shut down for four days.

The British government said the hacking incident involved a small-scale energy generator. The country also assured that its energy system is resilient and that there was no wider risk.

"This news refers to an incident that affected a small-scale energy generator and posed no risk to the wider energy system," said a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as quoted by The Guardian on Monday (24/8/2026).

"The UK has a resilient energy system. We work closely with the energy sector to protect infrastructure and ensure high security standards," the spokesperson added.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) also said it had not received any reports of disruption from the affected power plant operators.

The hacking incident was described by the local Conservative Party as a new type of warfare. The UK needs to prioritise the reliability and security of its energy system.

Party spokesperson Claire Coutinho also highlighted the country’s dependence on imported gas and electricity, saying this is one of the reasons the UK has become more vulnerable.

"By relying on imported gas and electricity and failing to build sufficient reliable gas or nuclear power plants as domestic backup, we have become more vulnerable," she added.

Iran has warned that its targets are bases used by the United States. The UK is known to allow the US to launch attacks from bases in the country.

Regarding the threat, the UK has affirmed that it is ready to defend itself.