Iranian Hackers Accused of Attacking Gas Stations in the US, Potentially Causing Gas and Fuel Leaks

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON — Several US officials are accusing a group of hackers from Iran of being behind a series of breaches of fuel volume monitoring systems on storage tanks at gas stations in several states.

According to sources who received briefings on the incident, the hackers exploited automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems that are connected online without password protection. This security vulnerability allowed the perpetrators to manipulate the display of tank indicator data, although it did not change the actual volume of fuel inside, as quoted by CNN.

Although this cyber infiltration is reported to have caused no physical damage or casualties, the incident has raised serious safety concerns. Private security experts and US officials warn that illegal access to ATG systems could theoretically cause gas or fuel leaks to go undetected.

The investigators stated that Iran’s track record of frequently targeting fuel tank systems is the main reason why the country is the prime suspect. However, the source reminded that the US government may have difficulty definitively identifying the perpetrators due to the limited digital forensic evidence left by the hackers.

To date, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has not provided an official comment on the ATG hacking, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) declined to comment.