"Iran-Linked Cyberattack Shuts Down UK Power Plant for Four Days"

A power plant in the UK was shut down for four days due to an Iran-linked cyberattack, the UK's Telegraph reported on the 22nd (local time).

While British officials confirmed to the newspaper the shutdown of one power plant, they withheld its exact location for security reasons.

The newspaper reported that although the affected power plant was relatively small in scale and did not significantly impact energy supplies within the UK, it is believed to be the first time a British power plant has been shut down by an Iran-linked cyberattack.

Following the incident, the British government disseminated the information to chief executive officers (CEOs) of major power companies and sent them a letter containing advice and measures for future actions.

The incident was also reported to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), an external body under the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)—the intelligence agency that provides guidelines to businesses on protecting national infrastructure from overseas hacking threats.

The UK power grid is connected to dozens of small-scale power plants, most of which are gas-fired power stations that supplement wind power.

This attack occurred late last month, around the same time that water systems in 12 US states, including Minnesota and Michigan, were targeted by cyberattacks.

At the time, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) only stated that it was the work of "malicious cyber actors," but US media pointed to Iran as the mastermind.

The Telegraph noted that the attack did not appear intended to cause actual harm to civilians, presuming that it "may have been designed by hackers linked to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to prove they can infiltrate British systems and halt the operation of sensitive infrastructure."

It also pointed out that "Iran has sharply stepped up cyberattacks against Western countries since the airstrikes by the US and Israel began in February."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.