Iran Internet Blackout Amidst US-Israel Strikes
As President Donald Trump confirms that the U.S. Military, alongside Israel, has commenced “major combat operations” in Iran – an operation the Department of Defense has named Operation Epic Fury – Iran has experienced a near-total internet blackout, with national connectivity dropping to just 4% of normal levels.
Widespread Connectivity Loss
NetBlocks, an independent internet watchdog, reported the incident beginning at 07:00 UTC on February 28, noting that the blackout coincides with U.S. And Israeli combat operations and mirrors measures taken during last year’s conflict with Israel. U.S. Naval Institute News
Cloudflare Radar, another network monitor, indicates that internet traffic is “close to zero across all major regions,” with near-complete shutdowns in Tehran, Fars, Isfahan, Alborz Province and Razavi Khorasan. Wikipedia
Potential Causes and Implications
The internet disruption does not appear to be the result of a cyberattack by U.S. Or Israeli forces. Instead, it likely represents an escalation of internet shutdowns previously implemented by the Iranian regime, beginning January 8, following domestic protests and unrest.
Limited connectivity, estimated at 4%, likely remains active for government, military, and official sources. This has implications for cybersecurity, potentially revealing the digital fingerprints of Iranian state actors, as Evan Schuman of CSO Online previously predicted during earlier Iranian internet shutdowns. The Federal
Kaveh Ranjbar, CEO of Whisper Security, explained that Advanced Persistent Threat groups often utilize benign government infrastructure for attacks, but these servers grow more visible when they are the only available connection points.
Cybersecurity Concerns and Potential Responses
Lisa Forte, partner at Red Goat Cyber Security, anticipates a potential increase in cyberattacks, including those from nation-states and hacktivist groups, leading to service disruptions, website defacement, and data theft.
Iran may be restricting internet access not only to control the narrative but also as a cyber-defense measure to limit reconnaissance and actual cyberattacks against its infrastructure.
This is a developing story, and further information is expected in the coming hours and days.