Is Iran hacking US fuel systems? Cyber breaches hit gas station tank monitors across states

Suspected Iranian hackers have breached internet-connected systems used to monitor fuel storage tanks at petrol stations across several US states, according to a CNN report citing American officials. The report said the attackers targeted automatic tank gauge, or ATG, systems that were accessible online without password protection. Officials told CNN that while hackers were able to manipulate the numbers displayed on monitoring screens, they could not change the actual amount of fuel inside the tanks.

Cybersecurity experts warned that such intrusions could pose serious risks if exploited further. They said a compromised tracking system could potentially conceal a major fuel leak, making it difficult for operators to detect the problem in time.

“Gas stations, tank readers, water systems, and industrial controllers may not sound high profile, but they give attackers a way to turn a technical breach into public confusion and operational stress,” Nick Tausek, lead security automation architect at Swimlane, told Security magazine.

Tausek said the common vulnerability in these attacks is “exposed operational technology and weak remote access”. Ross Filipek, chief information security officer at Corsica Technologies, said fuel systems have become attractive targets because they directly impact public confidence and supply chains.

“You don’t need to knock out the entire energy sector to create panic,” Filipek told Security magazine. “If fuel access slows, storage readings are manipulated, or operators are forced into manual processes, the impact can quickly move from technical inconvenience to real world operational risk.”

He also warned that if such cyber activity spread nationwide, it could trigger supply chain disruptions and wider economic stress. “Operators should be treating these systems as critical infrastructure, not back office equipment,” Filipek added.

According to CNN, investigators suspect Iran because of its previous history of targeting similar gas tank monitoring systems. However, officials reportedly cautioned that the US government may never be able to definitively attribute the attacks because the hackers did not leave behind enough digital evidence.

If Tehran’s involvement is eventually confirmed, it would mark the latest alleged attempt by Iran-linked actors to target critical American infrastructure amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict involving Iran. Earlier, a group known as Handala was accused of using Telegram channels to compromise Gmail accounts linked to senior US officials.