Vulnerabilities in Global Telecoms Infrastructure Exposed

The Iranian government has been accused of abusing well-known vulnerabilities in the global telecoms infrastructure to track U.S. military personnel, as reported by The Financial Times. This exploitation took place in the build-up to and early days of the Iran War.

Signaling System 7 Exploited

The Iranian government specifically targeted Signaling System 7 (SS7), a set of protocols for 2G and 3G networks that has been the backbone of how cellular networks connect to each other and route subscribers' calls and texts around the world. Intelligence agencies have long abused SS7 to track cellphones abroad, which is exactly what happened in this campaign.

Using this technique, Iran was reportedly able to locate U.S. military forces stationed in military bases as well as hotels in Iraq, Bahrain, and other countries in the Middle East. This allowed the regime to strike them, resulting in several injuries.

Advertising Technology Also Abused

Apart from SS7, Iran also abused advertising technology used to serve tailored ads to cellphone users. This is another well-known surveillance technique that relies on everyday technology.

The consequences of these actions are a stark reminder of the potential risks and consequences of exploiting vulnerabilities in the global telecoms infrastructure.