The “Iran Cyber Threat Intelligence Report: The Silent War Against Ethnic Minorities and Civil Society” by Filterwatch examines cyberattacks, content manipulation, digital rights violations, and arrest patterns in the latter half of 2024. The report highlights an escalation in organized and sophisticated cyber-repression tactics by Iranian security agencies, particularly targeting ethnic minorities, civil activists, and political dissidents.
Key findings
- Targeted cyberattacks: Methods such as account breaches, phishing, malware, identity fraud, and notably, the first recorded use of Quishing (phishing via QR codes) were employed.
- Content manipulation: Tactics included misusing Telegram groups to falsely distribute child exploitation content, mass reporting to remove activists’ posts and accounts, pressuring journalists by disabling their SIM cards, and spreading fake content to defame activists.
- Arrests and device confiscation: Activists faced arrests under security charges, with confiscation of electronic devices. During detentions, devices were set to Airplane Mode to prevent remote security interventions. This practice facilitated access to personal information and online accounts.
- Ethnic minority targeting: Approximately 17.5% of reported cases involved cyberattacks on Baluchi, Kurdish, and Turkic activists.
Read the Iran Cyber Threat Intelligence Report
Filterwatch’s report is based on data from the Digital Security Helpdesk (DSH) of the Miaan Group that includes trends of cyberattacks, content management, digital rights violations, and patterns of arrests in the second half of 2024. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s security agencies have escalated their cyber-repression efforts, employing more organized and sophisticated tactics against ethnic minorities, civil activists, and political dissidents. These measures aim to more effectively suppress dissenting voices through targeted content management, arrests, and the confiscation of electronic devices. These actions have significantly restricted freedom of expression and tightened state control over cyberspace.
These actions reflect a broader strategy of digital control and repression, severely impacting digital rights, freedom of expression, and personal security of civil activists and political dissidents within Iran and abroad.Read the report online or download the pdf
