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Cyber-crime UK Businesses told to brace cyber defenses amid Iran conflict risk NCSC urges all to review posture as escalating tensions increase risk of indirect digital spillover Carly Page Mon 2 Mar 2026 // 18:44 UTC The UK's cybersecurity agency is warning British organizations to brace for potential digital blowback as the Middle East conflict spills further into the online world. In an alert published on Monday, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that there's "no current significant change in the direct cyber threat from Iran to the UK," but warned that the fast-moving situation means that could change with little notice and that indirect threats are "almost certain" for organizations with links to the region. The warning comes amid a dramatic escalation in the Middle East that has blended conventional and digital warfare. Following coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel over the weekend, internet connectivity inside Iran plunged to "close to zero," according to network monitoring groups, largely due to internal restrictions and shutdown measures. At the same time, reports emerged of cyber operations targeting Iranian state media and other infrastructure, underscoring how hacking activity is running in parallel with events on the ground. With that in mind, the NCSC is telling UK businesses, particularly those tied to the region through offices or supply chains, to take a hard look at their security basics. That means checking what's exposed to the internet, tightening access controls, and being ready for the usual playbook when tensions rise, from nuisance DDoS traffic to more serious break-in attempts. The advisory also pushes firms to sign up for the NCSC's Early Warning service to get real-time alerts about security issues affecting their networks. Operators of critical national infrastructure are encouraged to pore over recently published guidance on preparing for severe cyber threats. Jonathon Ellison, NCSC director for National Resilience, said: "In light of rapidly evolving events in the Middle East, it is critical that all UK organizations remain alert to the potential risk of cyber compromise, particularly those with assets or supply chains that are in areas of regional tensions. "Organizations are strongly encouraged to act now, following the recommended actions to prioritize and strengthen their cybersecurity posture." Scammers try to SIM-swap Dubai citizens hours after Iranian missile strikes Iran all but vanishes from the global internet amid US-Israel strikes OpenAI's Altman says Pentagon set 'scary precedent' binning Anthropic AWS Middle East disrupted after 'objects struck datacenter' amid Iran war Iran's cyber operators are typically viewed as less advanced than those of major state adversaries in Beijing and Moscow, and their track record reflects that. Most of what's been traced back to Tehran over the years has looked more like spying and digital vandalism than lights-out sabotage, not the kind of years-long infrastructure compromises that get attributed to the bigger cyber powers. Still, security researchers say the fluid geopolitical environment could embolden state-aligned groups or proxies to expand tactics and targets. "Given the rapid escalation of geopolitical tensions, we assess that Iranian state-aligned cyber activity is likely to intensify in the near-term based on a long track record of leveraging cyber operations for asymmetric retaliation, coercive signaling, and strategic messaging," SentinelOne said in a blog post. "Prior campaigns, including destructive wiper malware, infrastructure disruption, and influence operations masquerading as 'hacktivism,' demonstrate both capability and intent to operate in the cyber domain alongside kinetic action." Across the Atlantic, CISA has not yet issued an alert in response to the latest flare-ups, but the agency has previously warned that Iranian government-affiliated cyber actors routinely target poorly secured networks and internet-connected devices and that state-sponsored or affiliated threat actors may target vulnerable systems and critical infrastructure. The NCSC isn't predicting digital Armageddon, but it is reminding organizations that geopolitical tensions have a habit of turning into unexpected login attempts. ® Get our Tech Resources Share More about Government of the United Kingdom Iran Middle East More like these × More about Government of the United Kingdom Iran Middle East NCSC Narrower topics Cabinet Office Competition and Markets Authority Computer Misuse Act DCMS GCHQ HMRC Home Office ICO NHS RPA Broader topics Cybercrime EMEA Government Security United Kingdom More about Share POST A COMMENT More about Government of the United Kingdom Iran Middle East More like these × More about Government of the United Kingdom Iran Middle East NCSC Narrower topics Cabinet Office Competition and Markets Authority Computer Misuse Act DCMS GCHQ HMRC Home Office ICO NHS RPA Broader topics Cybercrime EMEA Government Security United Kingdom TIP US OFF Send us news