- Iran blames the US for a network shutdown
- The blame has been placed on pre-installed backdoors in American technology
- Iran remains dependent on imports of foreign technology
Iranian media have accused US technology companies and the US government of working together to install secret backdoors in network infrastructure.
The claim comes after Iran reported coordinated shutdowns and outages across its network hardware despite the government cutting the country off from the internet.
If true, the backdoor must be activated remotely using another medium, which Iran has suggested could involve a satellite network.
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Widespread network shutdown
Iran’s claims, shared by Iran’s Fars News Agency, allege that hardware made by companies such as Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet and MikroTik were subject to inexplicable coordinated shutdowns and reboots, with the implication that the companies installed secret backdoors on behalf of the US government.
This is not the first time such an accusation has been made. China has previously accused the US government of installing backdoors in chips and other technology likely to be imported into China. China has also previously accused the US government of plots involving pre-installed malware and being behind several attacks launched by Volt Typhoon.
Iran’s claims, though unsubstantiated, mirror those of China, with Chinese state media also widely sharing Iran’s theories. Iran has also suggested that some devices may have been involved in a botnet that led to the widespread outages.
It is difficult to verify such claims, as Iran has maintained a near-total internet blackout since the outbreak of the conflict in late February. Internet access has been highly selective, with some outage trackers suggesting that the Iranian government only grants Internet access to officials and groups favorable to the regime.
Via The register
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