EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In Iran, the nation’s only telecommunications company experienced a troublesome and concerning cyber attack that not only impacted internal mechanisms, but also left customers in the lurch.
On the morning of February 8th, internet signals across Iran dropped by 25%, and left some areas without connectivity for seven consecutive hours.
Iranian national media outlet Radio Farda confirmed that a cyber attack disrupted telecomm communications, triggering an action on the part of the country’s “home-grown” firewall (otherwise known as its “Digital Fortress”), DEZHFA.
The attack was reportedly a DDoS attack, which occurs when hackers place too many demands on the Internet Protocols (IPs) of a system and the overload results in reduced functionality, or internet blackouts.
Interestingly, the attack occurred on the same day that Iran planned to launch a new aerospace satellite. Without additional explanation, the plans were immediately placed on hold.
An official from Iran’s Telecommunications Infrastructures Company, Sadjad Bonabi, stated that the attack appeared to emanate from a consortium of hackers in East Asia and North America.
In general, cyber attacks against Iran appear to be on the rise. Of course, the Iranian government is committed to protecting its infrastructure. This is evidenced by the allocation of $1.4 million (200 billion rials) to the Digital Fortress project, and its ten sub-projects.
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