Iran’s government has just ordered a widespread national internet blackout. This extreme step is taken in retaliation for a string of cyberattacks perpetrated by pro-Israel hacktivists known as Predatory Sparrow. The decision, announced amid escalating tensions with Israel, aims to protect the country’s critical infrastructure from what officials describe as aggressive cyber operations targeting Iranian organizations.
Predatory Sparrow, also referred to in Farsi as “Gonjeshke Darande,” has gained notoriety for its successful disruptions of key services in Iran. The anonymous group has since taken responsibility for major attacks, such as zero-day hacks on Bank Sepah and the Iranian cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex. From gas stations to steel plants, they have interrupted the status quo. In doing so they tend to radically inflate their true impact.
Iran’s government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, quoted in Middle East Eye accentin mentioned the security-oriented security Major drivers of the nationwide internet shut-downs.
“We have previously stated that if necessary, we will certainly switch to a national internet and restrict global internet access. Security is our main concern, and we are witnessing cyberattacks on the country’s critical infrastructure and disruptions in the functioning of banks,” – Fatemeh Mohajerani
The internet shutdown has severely impacted ordinary Iranians, limiting their access to information about the ongoing war with Israel and hampering communication with family members both domestically and internationally. Nariman Gharib, Iranian activist and independent cyber-espionage investigator, was one of many watchdogs who helped illustrate the perilous situation for citizens during this blackout.
“There aren’t that many people able to get online,” – Nariman Gharib
He said the challenge is that the tech-savvy students would quickly learn to evade any barriers. Sadly, hundreds of thousands more are suffering due to massive gaps in internet availability.
“My friends are tech-savvy, so they can bypass the restrictions, but generally, it’s very difficult because we have a complete internet shutdown in the country,” – Nariman Gharib
The situation has drawn international scrutiny. Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, a Senior Writer at TechCrunch, brings up the most important point. The escalation is compounded by Israel’s lockdown on foreign correspondents’ reporting on the disconnect of their missile strikes, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) take over and redact. Even more troubling is this ban’s impact on the public’s transparency and access to information during this time of increasing tensions.
In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli regime’s aggressive moves, stressing it is waging a war against truth and human conscience. The Iranian government implemented an Internet blackout in response to what they viewed as Israeli cyber attacks. Unfortunately, this shift took place amid a new and unpredictable geopolitical crisis.
