Iranian Hackers Target U.S. Fuel Infrastructure Amid Trump Talks: Report
Hackers believed to be connected to Iran may have breached computerized fuel monitoring systems used at gas stations across the United States, according to a CNN report cited by Newsweek.
The report stated that the suspected cyberattacks targeted “automatic tank gauge” systems — commonly known as ATGs — which are used to monitor underground fuel storage tanks, track gasoline levels, and detect leaks at service stations nationwide.
According to U.S. officials cited by CNN, some of the systems had reportedly been connected directly to the internet without password protection, allowing hackers in certain cases to manipulate digital readings and alter what operators saw on system displays.
Investigators reportedly found no evidence that actual fuel supplies were contaminated or physically altered.
However, federal officials warned that manipulated readings could potentially conceal dangerous fuel leaks or create broader risks involving critical infrastructure and public safety.
Authorities told CNN they suspect the intrusions were carried out by actors linked to Iran, though the federal government has not publicly attributed the activity to a specific Iranian intelligence or military organization.
The latest incident adds to longstanding American concerns regarding Iran’s increasingly sophisticated cyberwarfare capabilities.
U.S. intelligence agencies and cybersecurity firms have repeatedly warned that Iranian state-backed hackers aggressively target:
- Energy infrastructure
- Industrial control systems
- Financial institutions
- Transportation networks
- Water utilities
- Oil and pipeline systems
In 2016, the United States Department of Justice announced criminal charges against seven Iranian hackers allegedly tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Those individuals were accused of carrying out cyberattacks against dozens of American banks between 2011 and 2013.
Federal prosecutors also alleged the same group infiltrated control systems connected to the Bowman Avenue Dam in what officials described as one of the earliest known Iranian cyber intrusions involving American industrial infrastructure.
Cybersecurity firm Dragos warned in 2019 that Iranian hacking groups were increasingly focusing on operational technology systems tied to utilities, oil infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, and pipelines.
Meanwhile, both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security have repeatedly warned that Iranian cyber actors actively scan the internet searching for poorly protected industrial devices.
Mandiant reported in 2022 that Iranian-linked groups were escalating attacks involving ransomware, destructive malware, and credential theft targeting U.S. infrastructure organizations.
The United States Department of the Treasury later warned in 2023 that Iranian-affiliated hackers targeted water utilities and infrastructure operators through internet-connected industrial devices manufactured by Unitronics.
Federal agencies said many of those attacks exploited:
- Default passwords
- Weak cybersecurity protections
- Outdated software
- Legacy industrial systems
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has repeatedly cautioned that many American fuel, utility, and water systems remain vulnerable because operators continue relying on aging infrastructure with insufficient digital protections.
Iranian-linked cyberattacks have also repeatedly targeted Middle Eastern energy infrastructure.
Western officials and cybersecurity researchers blamed Iranian actors for the infamous Shamoon cyberattack in 2012, which wiped data from approximately 30,000 computers at Saudi Aramco.
Saudi officials later described Shamoon as one of the most destructive cyberattacks ever launched against the global energy industry.
Iran has consistently denied responsibility for many cyber operations attributed to it by Western governments and cybersecurity experts.
The reported fuel-system intrusions come amid heightened geopolitical tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
American officials have increasingly warned that Tehran may lean more heavily on cyberwarfare as an asymmetric tool in response to military pressure, sanctions, or broader regional conflict.
At the same time, political tensions continue escalating in Washington over the administration’s Iran strategy.
House Republicans narrowly defeated another war powers resolution Thursday that sought to limit President Donald Trump’s military authority regarding Iran.
The vote ended in a 212-212 tie, causing the resolution to fail.
Three Republicans — Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Tom Barrett — voted in favor of the measure.
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden broke with party leadership to oppose it.
The failed resolution marked the third unsuccessful congressional attempt to restrict Trump’s military authority since the Iran conflict escalated.