Attorney General Alan Wilson issues public safety advisory amidst Operation Epic Fury

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – In light of Operation Epic Fury and rising tensions with the Iranian terror regime, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office is closely monitoring the evolving threat environment in coordination with our federal and local law enforcement partners.

As of March 2026, the FBI, alongside the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other federal agencies, has issued urgent warnings regarding elevated threats linked to Iran.

These include potential retaliatory cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure, ransomware operations, distributed denial of service attacks, social engineering campaigns, and possible physical attacks carried out by proxy actors or sleeper cells.

At this time, there is no known, credible threat specific to South Carolina. However, heightened vigilance is warranted.

Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following statement:

“Operation Epic Fury made clear that the United States will not tolerate threats from the Iranian terror regime. When America acts decisively abroad, we must remain vigilant at home. Modern warfare does not always involve uniforms and battlefields. It includes cyberattacks, proxy violence, and sleeper cells embedded within civilian populations."

Federal agencies have identified several areas of concern:

• Cyberattacks. Iranian state-sponsored actors are actively targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, including healthcare systems, government networks, and information technology sectors. Tactics include password spraying, ransomware deployment, and denial of service attacks.
• Political interference. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has used social engineering and online manipulation to target Americans, particularly those associated with political and policy organizations.
• Physical threats. Due to ongoing hostilities, there is a heightened risk of Iranian-directed violence or retaliation against U.S. interests, both domestically and abroad.

The U.S. Department of State has also issued a Level 4 advisory against travel to Iran, citing risks, including kidnapping, wrongful detention, and the absence of normal consular protections.

The Attorney General’s Office is in active communication with federal and local partners to ensure strong intelligence sharing, cyber readiness, and rapid response capabilities throughout South Carolina.“There is no cause for panic,” Wilson said. “There is cause for vigilance. Our law enforcement community is prepared. Our cybersecurity teams are engaged. And we will not allow foreign terror networks to intimidate or destabilize our state."

The FBI urges organizations, particularly those in critical infrastructure sectors, to review federal guidance on identifying Iranian cyber actors and to strengthen cybersecurity defenses.

Individuals and businesses should immediately report suspicious cyber activity or other concerning behavior to local law enforcement or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

“South Carolina stands united," Wilson added. "We will defend our people, our infrastructure, and our freedoms against any threat, foreign or domestic."

Further updates will be provided as necessary.