Cyberwarfare by Iran

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Cyberwarfare is a part of Iran's "soft war" military strategy. Being both a victim and wager of cyberwarfare, [1] Iran is considered an emerging military power in the field. [2]

Contents

Since November 2010, an organization called "The Cyber Defense Command" (Persian : قرارگاه دفاع سایبری; Gharargah-e Defa-e Saiberi) has been operating in Iran under the supervision of the country's "Passive Civil Defense Organization" (Persian : سازمان پدافند غیرعامل; Sazeman-e Padafand-e Gheyr-e Amel) which is itself a subdivision of the Joint Staff of Iranian Armed Forces. [3]

According to a 2014 report by Institute for National Security Studies, Iran is "one of the most active players in the international cyber arena". [4] In 2013, a Revolutionary Guards general stated that Iran has "the 4th biggest cyber power among the world's cyber armies." [5] [6]

According to a 2021 report by a cyber-security company, "Iran is running two surveillance operations in cyber-space, targeting more than 1,000 dissidents". [7]

NIN

Iranian cyber defense system - digital fortress part of national information network (national internet) - is developed for thwarting attacks and engaging attackers. [8] In November 2022, the Iranian Majlis Islamic Consultative Assembly recommended a Passive Defence Incorporation. [9]

Attacks against Iran

In June 2010, Iran was the victim of a cyber-attack when its nuclear facility in Natanz was infiltrated by the cyber-worm 'Stuxnet'. [10] Reportedly a combined effort by the United States and Israel, [11] Stuxnet destroyed perhaps over 1,000 nuclear centrifuges and, according to a Business Insider article, "[set] Tehran's atomic programme back by at least two years." [12] The worm spread beyond the plant to allegedly infect over 60,000 computers, but the government of Iran indicates it caused no significant damage. Iran crowdsourced solutions to the worm and is purportedly now better positioned in terms of cyber warfare technology. [10] No government has claimed responsibility for the worm. [12] The cyber-worm was also used against North Korea.[ citation needed ]

Events

Attacks by Iran

The Iranian government has been accused by Western analysts of its own cyber-attacks against the United States, Israel and Persian Gulf Arab countries, but denied this, including specific allegations of 2012 involvement in hacking into American banks. [12] The conflict between Iran and the United States has been called "history's first known cyber-war" by Michael Joseph Gross in mid-2013. [38]

Events

Command and control

Iranian armed forces install malware apps for espionage on android phones. [61] They could steal victims identity according to Microsoft. [62]

Suspended Iranian accounts

On May 5, 2020, Reuters reported, quoting a monthly Facebook report, that Iranian state-run media had targeted hundreds of fake social media accounts to covertly spread pro-Iranian messaging, online since at least 2011, for secretly broadcasting online promotional messages in favor of Iran in order targeting voters in countries including Britain and the United States. [63] Accounts were suspended for coordinated inauthentic behavior, which removed eight networks in recent weeks, including one with links to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. [63]

See also

Alleged operations and malware against Iran
Alleged operations and malware by Iran

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References

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