Soon after Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s top military leader, was killed in a drone strike, the chief of cybersecurity at the Department of Homeland Security warned the public that it was “time to brush up” on Iran’s efforts to attack computer systems in the United States, even as the department’s acting secretary said that “no specific, credible threats” to the country had emerged since the general’s death.
Chad F. Wolf, the department’s acting chief, convened senior officials on Thursday night and Friday morning to discuss how to respond to Iran’s threat of a “forceful revenge” against the United States for the death of the country’s second most powerful official.
Computer systems quickly emerged as potential targets. Christopher C. Krebs, the department’s leader on cybersecurity, made clear on Twitter that the threat went beyond the federal government.
“Pay close attention to your critical systems,” Mr. Krebs said. “Make sure you’re also watching third party accesses!”
