Page 110 - Cyber Defense eMagazine February 2024

Red Sea Crisis and the Risk of Cyber Fallout

By Stan Vitek, Resident Geopolitical Analyst, Cyfirma

Introduction

As Israel’s military campaign in Gaza continues, the United States as a political sponsor of Israel is
contending with regional provocations by several members of the Iranian-aligned “axis of resistance.”
These are inevitably going to involve US forces, Israel and their allies. A wave of Houthi missile attacks
has spooked shipping companies and energy markets as latent Iranian cyber threat looms beyond.
Tehran has warned of further attacks beyond the reach of its kinetic means, which likely implies a threat
of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure and logistical hubs on global shipping routes. Iran’s growing
expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyber operations make it a major threat to the security
of U.S. and allied networks, data and critical infrastructure. Iran’s opportunistic approach to cyber attacks
makes critical infrastructure and logistical hubs operators susceptible to being targeted.

Major shipping companies such as Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen Line, Maersk or MSC are avoiding the Red
Sea with some of their ships because of attacks by the Houthi terrorist group. They are diverting their
vessels to the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, which makes sailing to Europe much

Cyber Defense eMagazine – February 2024 Edition 110
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