Three Buddy Problem Israel-Iran cyberwar: Predatory Sparrow, vanishing crypto, destructive bank hacks
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Jun 20, 2025 Hamid Kashfi, a former researcher at Immunity/Trail of Bits with expertise in the Iran-Israel cyber conflict, joins the discussion. They delve into the shadowy group Predatory Sparrow and its cyber operations during the Israel-Iran war. The conversation covers a shocking $90 million cryptocurrency disappearance linked to hacktivism, the human impact of ATM outages, and the blurred lines between grassroots cyber activism and state-sponsored attacks. Kashfi offers on-the-ground insights into Iran's cyber capabilities amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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Landmark Use Of Cyber In Warfare
- The cyber war aspect between Israel and Iran is landmark as it involves proper integration of cyber in warfare by a top cyber power.
- This represents the first significant demonstration of cyber capabilities actively used within a kinetic war context.
Predatory Sparrow's Measured Restraint
- Predatory Sparrow demonstrated measured restraint by warning civilians ahead of disruptive attacks.
- This signaling reflects a new doctrine balancing cyber power use with minimizing civilian harm during conflict.
$90 Million Crypto Burn Explained
- Burning $90 million in cryptocurrency by sending to unspendable vanity addresses is a cyber weapon demonstration.
- Such large-scale destruction of assets creates irreversible financial chaos and sends a taunting message to Iranian regime forces.