Iran retaliates after cyber campaign, HydraC2 botnet DDoS hits

A sharp escalation in the Middle East has entered a hybrid phase blending military strikes with large-scale cyber operations, creating spillover risks for organisations in the region and globally, according to Infosecurity Magazine. The developments followed joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026, which were accompanied by what has been described as one of the largest cyber campaigns in history.

According to CloudSek, in parallel, a sweeping cyber operation disrupted Iran’s digital infrastructure, with internet connectivity reportedly dropping to around 4% of normal levels. Government services, official media outlets and parts of the energy and aviation sectors were severely affected, while Iran carried out retaliatory missile and drone attacks against Israeli territory and US regional bases.

The article notes expectations of intensified cyber retaliation, with mentions of DDoS activity from the HydraC2 botnet and actions attributed to hacktivists Handala and the ransomware group Sicarii, alongside more than 150 hacktivist incidents recorded between 28 February and 1 March. Organizations are urged to review risk posture, increase monitoring and ensure MFA and offline backups are in place.