Chemical companies in the United States were put on notice by the federal government late Wednesday and told to boost cyber and physical security because of fears Iran could target them.
A notice issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security states, “In light of recent international events with the potential for retaliatory aggression against the U.S. and our critical infrastructure, CISA urges facilities with chemicals of interest … to consider enhanced security measures to decrease the likelihood of a successful attack.”
Facilities included are those that produce toxic, flammable, and explosive materials.
“Chemicals of interest” are a major security concern, and the government works with the private sector to avoid them being released into the atmosphere or stolen and converted into weapons. A physical attack on a facility could prompt a fire or explosion, though DHS did not reveal under what circumstances that could happen.
CISA said it was not forcing all high-risk facilities to take action right now. But it said chemical facilities should immediately move to a state of heightened awareness, see that they are well-staffed for the near future, and make sure they can access DHS notification and reporting systems.
The agency said companies should safeguard all critical information and increase patrols around chemical inventories and restricted areas. It also called for them to monitor and screen visitors, test security systems, and reinforce their perimeters.
Concern over a potential cyber attack erupted after the U.S. military killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike Jan. 3. An Iranian official responded with a threat to “attack the White House itself,” prompting concern over how else Iran might go about retaliating. The cyber arm of DHS and the FBI issued a terrorism advisory five days after Soleimani was killed, warning that Iran may be looking to attack the U.S. government or private sector on digital grounds.
[Read more: Endless array of targets: The terrifying possibilities for an Iranian cyberattack]
