WASHINGTON (March 9, 2026) – The U.S. financial industry is on high alert for potential cyberattacks due to the ongoing war in Iran. According to a U.S. intelligence assessment, Iranian hackers could conduct low-level cyberattacks by overwhelming servers with a flood of internet traffic or launching ransomware attacks. In addition, water utilities, and transportation infrastructure, many of which rely on outdated control systems, remain active targets for Iranian hackers as the conflict continues. Cybersecurity analysts say Iran frequently uses cyberattacks as a way to challenge other countries without relying on traditional military force.
For more analysis on these developments, please consider Scott J. White, Associate Professor and Director of the Cybersecurity Program and Cyber Academy at the College of Professional Studies. White is an expert in cybersecurity, cybercrime, counter-terrorism and infrastructure protection. He has worked for a variety of law enforcement agencies in the US, the UK and Canada, holds a Queen’s Commission, and was an officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
To schedule an interview, please contact Nadia Payne at nadia [dot] payne
gwu [dot] edu (nadia[dot]payne[at]gwu[dot]edu) or GW media at gwmediagwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
-GW-