Navigating the Cyber Threat Horizon: What the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Must Watch in the Coming Weeks

Virginia Beach, VA, USA | 23 June 2025 | Tracy Gregorio (CEO) –

As tensions escalate following Israel’s Operation Rising Lion and the U.S. B-2 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) faces a heightened risk of asymmetric retaliation through cyberattacks. Iran, constrained by its degraded conventional capabilities, is poised to leverage its cyber arsenal to strike at U.S. and Israeli interests, including critical infrastructure, government networks, and private sector partners like us. As leaders in the DIB, we must remain vigilant and proactive in anticipating these threats over the next few weeks.

Based on current intelligence and Iran’s historical playbook, here are the key cyber measures to watch for:

1. DDoS Attacks to Disrupt Operations: Expect a surge in Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks targeting defense contractors, government portals, and critical infrastructure. These low-cost, high-impact attacks aim to overwhelm systems and erode public trust. Recent data shows Israel already absorbing 40% of global hacktivist DDoS traffic since mid-June.
2. Wiper Malware for Maximum Damage: Iran has a track record of deploying destructive malware to erase data and disable systems. Our networks, as well as those of our supply chain partners, could be prime targets for wiper attacks designed to disrupt mission-critical operations.
3. Spear-Phishing and Social Engineering: Iranian APT groups, such as APT34 and MuddyWater, excel at tailored phishing campaigns to steal credentials or deliver malware. Heightened awareness among employees and robust endpoint security are critical to counter these stealthy intrusions.
4. Ransomware as Dual Threat: State-sponsored ransomware could target our sector to extort funds and sow chaos. These attacks may masquerade as criminal activity to maintain deniability, making attribution and response more complex.
5. Disinformation to Amplify Fear: Iran’s use of AI-driven propaganda, spread via platforms like X and Facebook, will likely intensify to undermine confidence in our institutions. Monitoring and countering false narratives will be essential to maintain operational focus.
6. Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Third-party vendors remain a weak link. Iran may exploit these to gain backdoor access to our systems, as seen in past attacks on regional allies.
7. Zero-Day Exploits for Strategic Advantage: While less frequent, Iran’s potential use of undisclosed vulnerabilities – possibly acquired through partnerships like Russia – could target high-value defense assets.

Our Call to Action

The DIB must act decisively to mitigate these risks. Prioritize hardening critical systems, enhancing threat intelligence sharing through ISACs, and conducting tabletop exercises to simulate wiper and ransomware scenarios. Strengthen supply chain security with zero-trust architectures and vet third-party vendors rigorously. Above all, foster a culture of cyber resilience across our organizations to ensure we remain mission ready.

As we navigate this volatile period, collaboration with government partners, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and international allies will be paramount. Let’s stay ahead of the threat by anticipating Iran’s next moves and reinforcing our defenses today.

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G2 Ops leverages over a decade of experience integrating Systems, Cybersecurity, and Software Engineering techniques to provide solutions to a growing list of Government and private customers. We combine cutting edge tools with innovative engineering practices, data analytics, and risk algorithms that enhance visibility into complex infrastructures, optimizing resiliency in system design and operations.

G2 Ops is a woman-owned small business led by an executive staff known for providing innovative solutions to solve our nation’s most complex engineering challenges. G2 Ops has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies each of the last 7 years (2018-2024) and has locations in Arlington, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, and San Diego, CA.

For more information about G2 Ops, contact:

Robert Alley, Quality and Operations Manager

robert.alley@g2-ops.com

G2 Ops, Inc.

2829 Guardian Lane

Virginia Beach, VA 23452

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