Iran throttles Internet as war measure

Image Source: Unsplash

Iran has drastically slowed internet access across the country in what officials claim is a defensive move against Israeli cyber operations, as tensions between the two arch-rivals escalate both in the physical and digital spheres.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, and the Iranian Cyber Police (FATA) said the throttling is "temporary, targeted, and controlled" and intended to "maintain internet stability and ward off cyberattacks."

Watchdog group NetBlocks confirmed a "significant reduction in internet traffic" starting at 5.30 pm local time, raising concerns about censorship and information blackouts.

The move comes amid a new wave of conflict that has seen Israel and Iran exchange missile strikes since Friday, in one of the most direct military confrontations between the two nations in years. The hostilities have spilled into cyberspace, with both sides accused of conducting or sponsoring retaliatory cyber operations.

One of the most prominent attacks was claimed by the pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow, which took credit for sabotaging Iran’s Bank Sepah. 

The group, known for earlier high-profile cyber campaigns, said it disabled the bank’s website and ATM networks. 

"Bank Sepah was an institution that circumvented international sanctions and used the people of Iran's money to finance the regime's terrorist proxies and nuclear ambitions," the group posted on X, further alleging assistance from "brave Iranians" on the ground.

Iranian officials have also warned citizens to delete WhatsApp, claiming without evidence that the Meta-owned app was being used by Israel to spy on users. "WhatsApp has been weaponized," an official statement read, though no technical proof has been provided to support the accusation.

In response, WhatsApp issued a statement to the Associated Press denying the charges, stating it "does not track users” or share “bulk information with any government."

Meanwhile, Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity firm Radware reported a surge in activity from Iranian-linked threat actors, particularly on Telegram. 

Groups like Mysterious Team Bangladesh and Arabian Ghost have issued warnings to countries like Jordan and Saudi Arabia not to side with Israel and claimed to have disrupted Israeli radio stations.

The current flare-up traces its roots to a complex web of long-standing grievances. Israel views Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, along with its support for militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, as existential threats. Iran, in turn, accuses Israel of conducting covert sabotage campaigns and assassinations on its soil, including the killing of nuclear scientists.

The US too has also become increasingly involved in the conflict with several threats made by President Donald Trump against Iran. 

The State Department recently announced a reward for information on Iranian hackers behind attacks on critical infrastructure in the US and allied nations. These actors, associated with the "Cyber Av3ngers" group and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) cyber division, reportedly used IOCONTROL (aka OrpaCrab) malware to compromise Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and SCADA devices.