Iran internet kill switch cuts off population amid ongoing protests

The Iranian regime has triggered an internet “kill switch” to hide alleged abuses by its security forces, a cybersecurity expert has claimed, as protests against it escalate across the country.

Internet access fell well below normal levels due to blackouts on the 13th day of the protests, rights groups said. Amnesty Internationalaccused the regime of using lethal force against protesters.

“This is Iran’s war against its own people using digital tools.” NetBlocks CEO Alp Toker told Fox News Digital:

“This was a piecemeal measure where the government was willing to use this type of measure over a long period of time, eventually covering the whole country,” he said.

“It may be an attempt to cover up crimes the regime may have committed, so this disruption could potentially last for days or weeks,” Toker added.

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At least 65 people died in the protests Human Rights Activists in IranIt was reported late Friday that the death toll had more than doubled since the beginning of the week.

The group also reported that more than 2,300 people were arrested and demonstrations spread to at least 180 cities across the country. The group said most of those killed were protesters.

Amnesty International also said, “People who dare to express their anger and demand radical change against decades of oppression in Iran are once again faced with a deadly pattern of security forces unlawfully shooting at, chasing, arresting and beating protesters.” he said. expression Thursday.

“The only kill switch is the censorship mechanism, which is centrally controlled by the regime, so there is no legal procedure or mechanism for people to push back,” Toker said. he said.

“We now know that they centralize all of this into a single-step operation,” he explained, calling it “largely a top-down mechanism.”

“It’s been in development since the Cold War, and it means they can triangulate the ground terminal in satellite transmissions. Some governments are implementing this type of kill switch in their cyber operations rooms,” he said.

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“We know that it was a careful measure, for example, when the government had to close businesses one by one, city by city, in 2019.”

NetBlocks said the current outage is among the most severe ever recorded in Iran.

“We are currently monitoring an almost complete disruption of internet service across Iran, with connectivity below 2 percent of normal levels,” Toker said. he said.

“This is a nationwide disruption that extends beyond mobile phones and computers, affecting virtually all services, all connections and all ways of life,” he said.

“This is affecting banks and basic services, and there is very little communication within the country, so people can’t reach the outside world and no one can communicate.”

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Toker explained that despite extensive restrictions, some limited communication channels are still available.

“There are a few gaps, so it is possible to communicate with those close to the borders via Wi-Fi or mobile service across the borders,” he said.

“It is also occasionally possible to find a part in the service, a landline service, where they can tunnel through all of this, but this is becoming increasingly rare and is no longer an option.

“Another mechanism we see is satellite internet, that is, access via the Starlink network, but this equipment is banned by the Iranian regime.”

“The technology that the Iranian regime uses to monitor connections is essentially anti-espionage technology,” he said.

“These measures are often imposed by the most authoritarian regimes, the most controlling governments that want to silence and suppress their own people,” Toker said.

“NetBlocks followed a similar multi-week blackout in 2019 when thousands were killed, and this was also held in 2022 when people protested the killing of Mahsa Amini.”

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Demonstrations in Iran in recent days have intensified with the sound of gunshots in the streets. (National Council of Resistance of Iran)

“In past events, we have observed that the government is trying to keep the essential service line available.

“They pulled the plug on this last case, so here we have a much more extreme measure, which shows that the regime is afraid and not taking risks on the possibility of information reaching the outside world.”

President Donald Trump warned Iranian leaders on Friday not to use force against protesters.

He told reporters at the White House that Iran was in “big trouble.”

“I hope the protesters in Iran are safe because it’s a very dangerous place right now,” Trump said. “You better not start shooting, because we’re going to start shooting too.”

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“The USA has promoted democracy in Iran and this is a positive thing at this stage,” Toker said.

“There is little that can be done externally, but it is important to continue to support positive efforts.

“A free and open internet in Iran, and indeed in other countries, can promote democracy and support fundamental freedoms,” he added.