A small power plant in the UK was shut down last month after being targeted in a cyber attack linked to the Iranian regime, according to The Telegraph.
The UK government confirmed the incident but said there was no risk to the UK's energy system. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has since contacted power companies to warn them about the risk of cyberattacks.
The Telegraph reported that hackers affiliated with the Iranian regime carried out the attack, which took place last month and left the facility offline for four days.
Neither the government nor the National Cyber Security Centre – the body responsible for defending critical infrastructure – would disclose further details about the site affected, citing security reasons.
DESNZ said the incident had affected a small-scale generator and that at no point had there been a risk to the wider energy system. The UK's power network includes a number of smaller gas generators that provide short-term power when needed.
Protecting the country's energy supplies remains a key challenge for the government, which is updating its cybersecurity regulations and working on a new energy resilience strategy due later this year.
Iran has long been regarded as a capable cyber power. While the Western cyber-security community has been braced for attacks from the Iranian state or affiliated hackers amid its conflict with the US this year, such activity has so far been limited.
