A hacker group has disrupted the communication networks of ships belonging to two major Iranian shipping companies sanctioned by the US.
The group, called Lab Dookhtegan or “Read My Lips”, said it has disrupted the communication networks of 116 ships and therefore, severed the ships' connections to each other, their ports, and external communication channels, according to a report by Iran International.
The attack, the report said, was timed to coincide with US military operations against the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis.
“As part of this operation, we targeted the communication network 50 ships belonging to the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) and 66 ships belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL),” the report added.
The ships belong to two major Iranian companies sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have tightened their grip on the country's oil industry and control up to half the exports that generate most of Tehran's revenue and fund its proxies across the Middle East, according to Reuters.
All aspects of the oil business have come under the growing influence of the IRGC, from the shadow fleet of tankers that secretively ship sanctioned crude, to logistics and the front companies selling the oil, mostly to China, according to more than a dozen people interviewed by Reuters.
By disrupting ship communications, Lab Dookhtegan said on Tuesday it has significantly hindered operations, adding that full restoration of the affected systems could take weeks.
“Ship personnel can no longer communicate with one another, and their connection to the ports and outside world has been severed,” Iran International said.
US President Donald Trump's administration is considering a plan to stop and inspect Iranian oil tankers at sea under an international accord aimed at countering the spread of weapons of mass destruction, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Trump has vowed to restore “maximum pressure” campaign to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero, in order to stop the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Lab Dookhtegan said the attack coincided with its sixth anniversary and aims to demonstrate the scale and depth of its cooperation with individuals within the Iranian regime.
The group is known for previous cyber activities against Iran’s military and intelligence operations.
In July 2022, the group revealed the identity of IRGC-affiliated hackers who exploited European, Australian and US individuals and institutions in order to carry out ransomware activities.
