Iran threw domestic internet access in an attempt to hamper Israel’s ability to hamper Israel’s secret cyber operations days after the latter launched an unprecedented attack on the country.
Iranian government spokesman Fateme Mohajelani and Iranian cyber police Fata said the slowdown in the internet was designed to maintain internet stability, and the movement is “temporarily, targeted and controlled to drive away cyberattacks.” Data shared by NetBlocks shows a “significant reduction in internet traffic” around 5:30 PM local time.
The development comes in the midst of deepening the conflict by trading Israeli-Iran missile attacks starting Friday. As security experts warned of retaliatory cyber operations by Iranian national officials and a group of hacktivists, these attacks spill over cyberspace.
Digital conflicts unfold behind the scenes are two ways. Earlier this week, a pro-Israeli group known as predatory Sparrow argued blame for a cyberattack on Iranian bank Sepa, crippling access to websites and ATMs.
“The ‘Bank Sepa’ was an agency that avoided international sanctions and used Iranian money people to fund the regime’s terrorist proxies, ballistic missile programs, and its military nuclear programs,” the group said in an official statement posted to X.
The predatory Sparrow also said he stumbled the bank’s infrastructure with the help of “brave Iranians,” adding, “this is what happens to an institution dedicated to maintaining the fantasies of dictators’ terrorists.” Israel has a renowned history of sophisticated cyber operations, particularly the StuxNet attack targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity company Radware said it observed increased activity from threat actisers affiliated with Iran across public and private telegram channels.
Some groups, including the mystical team Bangladesh and the Arabian Ghost, have warned Jordan and Saudi Arabian neighbors against Israeli support and claimed they have shut down Israeli radio stations.
Furthermore, the Iranian government has also urged its citizens to remove WhatsApp, one of the country’s most popular messaging platforms, without giving evidence that the meta-owned app was weaponized by Israel and spying on users.
WhatsApp has denied the allegation. In a statement to the Associated Press, the company said it would not track users and “provide bulk information to any government.”
The cyber conflict defeats industrial control systems using malware (aka Orpacrab) that it is seeking information about Iranian hackers accused of targeting critical infrastructure in U.S., Israel and other countries (ICS).
“Online Persona Seoul-related CyberAV3ngers, on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC), has launched a series of malicious cyber-activities against the critical infrastructure of the United States.”
“CyberAV3NGERS actors leverage malware known as IoControl to target ICS/SCADA devices used by critical infrastructure sectors in the US and around the world.”
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