Increased Cyber Control in Iran; Ministry of Communications Obligated to Collaborate with Intelligence Agencies

On Tuesday, November 2, the Islamic Consultative Assembly mandated the Ministry of Communications to fully cooperate with the IRGC Intelligence Organization and the Ministry of Intelligence. Accordingly, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is required to coordinate and collaborate with the Ministry of Intelligence, the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and other agencies to provide security services and conduct annual cybersecurity assessments and rankings for executive bodies. The cooperation of the Ministry of Communications with security agencies is a matter that could lead to violations of people's privacy. Observers believe that this resolution will legalize the access of the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC to people's information, tightening the security agencies' grip on repression and enforcement. The website 'Tejarat News' previously reported that the seventh development plan includes a provision that requires all data-holding databases to send information about Iranian users to a lifestyle monitoring system online. In other words, with the approval of this bill, all information about Iranian users will be scrutinized and controlled in a system. The Ministry of Communications has previously collaborated with security agencies at the behest of the Supreme National Security Council. Most recently, during the protests of 2022, the Ministry of Communications was fully at the service of security agencies by cutting and reducing internet bandwidth. The U.S. State Department announced on December 20, 2022, that research conducted by prominent civil society organizations and internet monitoring industry experts shows that the Iranian government disrupts communications daily through 'internet blackouts' and other types of interruptions in internet service providers, including blocking messaging apps and social media, and cutting users' access to special stores for purchasing and downloading software. According to this research, the Islamic Republic also attempted to disrupt tools and methods for circumventing internet censorship during the protests, including mobile software, VPNs, and privacy tools. Google warned Android smartphone users in November 2022 that the Iranian messaging app Rubika accesses users' personal data and spies on their written and verbal messages, photos, and other contents of their phones, including their call history. Also see: Security of Iranian applications; users say they are not safe, officials say they are. Vulnerability of the Islamic Republic to hacking and its capabilities in cyber warfare; explanations by Davood Sajadi. What threats does your mobile phone face and how can you tell if it has been hacked? Explanations by Ahmad Batabi. Iran set a record; it ranked first in the 'world's internet restrictions.' Security of Iranian applications; users say they are not safe, officials say they are. Microsoft states that malicious cyber activities by the Islamic Republic have increased. Verification | Claim of support for 'press freedom' by the Islamic Republic's propaganda media. Legal cases formed against 10 women's beauty salons in Bandar Abbas; an Instagram user was arrested.