During the Nowruz holidays in Iran, which began on March 26, a DDoS cyberattack disrupted internet access, leading to widespread disturbances. Reports indicated short-term mobile internet outages, and these disruptions persisted even after the Nowruz holidays. According to Cloudflare data, the attack affected over 80% of Iran’s network, and per local network experts, network packetContinue reading “DDoS Attacks During Nowruz Holidays”
Author Archives: Louis Shakibi
Iranian Government Tracks Imported Hardware
According to documents acquired by Filter Watch, the Iranian government is implementing a registration system for all imported computer hardware, components, and kits. This initiative mirrors a previous policy mandating the registration of imported cellphones and is designed to enable the tracking of computer equipment. The letters indicate that the registration requirement covers devices likeContinue reading “Iranian Government Tracks Imported Hardware”
Targeted VPN Protocol Disruption Following New Legislation:
Between February 8, 2024, and the end of the month, there have been widespread and deliberate disruptions on protocols used in censorship circumvention tools and VPNs. Our research, which includes insights from developers of widely-used VPNs in Iran and data from the network monitoring community, indicates extensive and targeted disruptions on protocols such as Shadowsocks,Continue reading “Targeted VPN Protocol Disruption Following New Legislation: “
Iran’s Future: Filtered, Traceable, and Anti-Sanctions
In the past month, Iranian authorities announced statutes and guidelines that will have a significant impact on the future of the internet in Iran. They include measures to drive users to platforms that emulate foreign products, track user activity on internet and intranet, establish tiered internet access, and generate income from the sale of VPNs.Continue reading “Iran’s Future: Filtered, Traceable, and Anti-Sanctions”
The hidden war on internet access in Iran
On February 13, 2024, a hacker group called “Rebellion Until Overthrow” leaked parliamentary documents and emails that revealed the Islamic Republic’s internet censorship and surveillance practices. The documents showed how the government used urban cameras to surveil and suppress protesters, and how it has a vision to limit internet access to the global internet forContinue reading “The hidden war on internet access in Iran”
Blocking Access to the Global Internet Through Economic Pressure
On January 14, 2023, regulators issued a decree that authorized operators to raise fixed internet prices by 7 to 34 percent. This was preceded earlier in the month by a price hike in mobile internet packages, which also removed long-term, cost-effective volume packages. The price increase only applied to international traffic for both fixed andContinue reading “Blocking Access to the Global Internet Through Economic Pressure”
Sistan and Baluchestan; An Internet Outage Laboratory
From December 31, 2023, to January 30, 2024, Iran experienced two significant internet access disruptions due to issues with internet gateways. These incidents mirrored similar outages that occurred twice in November 2023. Additionally, on January 16, 2024, both fixed and mobile internet services were cut off in Sistan and Baluchestan, with a similar pattern ofContinue reading “Sistan and Baluchestan; An Internet Outage Laboratory”
End of the Definite Internet Shutdown Pattern in Sistan and Baluchestan; Continuation of Unexplained Disruptions
Seven months after the order by Ibrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, to the Ministry of Communications to investigate the cause of internet slowness and disruptions and to resolve them, no response has been given to this directive. Instead, he reiterated this order during the opening session of a communications project on December 22, 2023,Continue reading “End of the Definite Internet Shutdown Pattern in Sistan and Baluchestan; Continuation of Unexplained Disruptions”
The Iranian government’s use of technology to control and surveil its citizens
Iran’s seventh development plan bill outlines various infrastructure projects for different sectors of the country, to be carried out over five years (from 2023 through 2027). This plan has not yet been approved by the parliament, and its discussion was planned for September 25, but no update has been reported since then. A significant portionContinue reading “The Iranian government’s use of technology to control and surveil its citizens”