Iran’s Banking ‍System Hit by⁢ Massive Cyber Attack

A recent cyber attack on Iran’s banking system has raised concerns⁢ about the country’s financial stability. ​According ‌to​ reports, an Iranian company paid ‌a multimillion-dollar ransom to⁣ prevent hackers from releasing sensitive data.

The attack, which affected at ‌least 20 ‍local banks, is believed to be the work of⁢ a group known ⁣as RLleaks. The hackers initially demanded $10 million​ in cryptocurrency in exchange for not releasing ⁤the ‍stolen data, which included personal account information and credit card details of millions⁢ of‍ Iranians.

The Attack’s Impact on Iran’s Financial System

The cyber attack has put a strain ‍on Iran’s already volatile financial system, which ⁤is under pressure due⁤ to international sanctions. The country’s authoritarian regime pushed for a deal with the hackers, fearing that the data‌ theft would destabilize the financial system.

The attack​ forced banks ‌to close​ ATMs across the ⁣country,‌ and Iran’s supreme leader blamed the US and ​Israel for “spreading fear ​among our ​people” without acknowledging the breach.

The⁣ Hackers’ Motives‍ and Methods

People familiar with the Iranian ‍banking hack say that RLleaks was not linked to the United​ States or Israel, ‌suggesting that⁣ the⁤ attack may have been the ‍work ​of independent‌ hackers motivated by ⁤financial gain.

The group accessed bank servers through ⁢a company called ‌Tosan, ‍which provides data and other digital services ⁣to Iran’s financial sector. ⁢Using⁤ this access, hackers stole data from both private ⁢banks and Iran’s central bank.

Affected Banks and⁤ the Ransom Payment

More ‍than 20 of the 29​ credit institutions active in Iran were hacked, ⁣including Bank of Industry and Mines, Interest ‌Free Mehr Bank, and Iranian Postal Bank. The government​ eventually forced Tosan to pay the ransom to⁢ RLleaks.

The ransom payment, which was at least $3 million,⁣ is⁤ believed to be one of the largest paid by an Iranian company to hackers.