Monitoring organization NetBlocks reported on Monday that connectivity in Iran has plummeted to approximately one percent of normal levels. The organization noted that the shutdown covers the entire country, though the government has not yet issued an official announcement regarding the measure.
NetBlocks pointed out that comprehensive shutdowns are typically employed in Tehran during periods of unrest or protests. This situation mirrors an outage in January that lasted for weeks during similar demonstrations.
Internet analyst Doug Madory suggested that the limited remaining activity might be a result of a “whitelist” system, which allows specific government-affiliated institutions to remain online despite the general blackout.
Reports indicate that cyberattacks and inciting messages are currently targeting government-aligned Iranian news outlets. Notably, the popular religious calendar application “ParsCalendar” has been affected, with messages urging military personnel to lay down their arms.
Security researcher Hamid Kashfi, founder of the cybersecurity company Dark Sentinel, highlighted that the attack on the calendar app is strategic, noting that it is widely used by government supporters.
Reports indicated that cyber operations have targeted a variety of government services and military objectives, aiming to restrict a coordinated Iranian response.
Experts warn of the possibility of escalating cyberattacks, predicting that critical sectors such as energy, infrastructure, communications, and healthcare will be targeted.
Adam Meyers, CTO of CrowdStrike, stated that intelligence gathering and cyberattack activities by pro-Iranian parties have already commenced, potentially leading to more aggressive operations.
