Without Firing a Shot: Iranian Banking System Reportedly Paralyzed in ‘Major Cyberattack’

‘The reason is that all of Iran’s national budget and resources have been allocated to wars and corrupt religious leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran,’ message on Iranian ATM machines reportedly reads.

By United with Israel

Iran’s Central Bank and other Iranian banks on Wednesday were hit in a “major cyberattack” which led to widespread malfunction in the country’s banking system, Iran International reported.

According to reports, the banks’ computer systems have been brought to a standstill as a result of the cyberattack. Initial assessments point to this being one of the largest cyberattacks ever against Iranian infrastructure.

Iranians reported finding the following message on ATM machines across the country: “Dear customers, it is not possible to draw money from this ATM machine. The reason is that all of Iran’s national budget and resources have been allocated to wars and corrupt religious leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We greatly apologize.”

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امروز اومدم از ماشین عابر بانکATM پول بکشم دیدم ک تمومی ماشینهای این اطراف شهر پرند خرابند
و نمیشه ازشون پول کشید و روی مونیتور اونها اعلامیه جالبی ب اسم بانک مرکزی نصب شده
ازشون براتون عکس و فیلم گرفتم و میفرستم pic.twitter.com/ETvocibl7n

— jailani behieh (@JBehieh) August 14, 2024

The cyberattack comes after a hacking group linked to Israel in December paralyzed some 70% of gas stations across Iran.

“This cyberattack comes in response to the aggression of the Islamic Republic and its proxies in the region,” the group, Gonjeshke Darande, Persian for “predatory sparrow,” tweeted at the time.

“Khamenei, playing with fire has a price,” it added.