Amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, cyber tensions barge -in where Iran has freshly accused messaging giant WhatsApp of helping Israel spy on Iran. This directive comes from an Iranian media that asked the citizens to delete this app from their devices immediately.
However, there stands no official statements yet. Tehran’s information ministry and intelligence agencies have so far refrained from offering any official documentation or surveillance logs to support the charge. Cybersecurity experts both inside and outside Iran have also questioned the credibility of the claim.
WhatsApp Responds To The Accusation:
WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms Inc., issued a swift and pointed rebuttal. In a formal statement, the company clarified: “We do not supply any bulk information to any government. We don’t store message logs, track user locations, or monitor private conversations. All communications on WhatsApp are protected by end-to-end encryption.”
The messaging service emphasized that not even WhatsApp itself can access the content of messages exchanged on its platform, as its encryption protocol ensures complete privacy for users. It also hinted at a deeper motive behind Iran’s move, saying, “We are concerned these false reports will be used as justification to block our services especially at a time when citizens rely on secure channels to communicate.”
This isn’t the first time Iran has cracked down on global digital platforms. During the 2022 anti-government protests triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody, Iranian authorities imposed sweeping restrictions on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and other platforms. Though access was partially restored in late 2023, many Iranians continue to rely on VPNs to bypass censorship.
Media Reports Claim Cyber Attack from Pro Israel Hacker Group
A pro-Israel hacker group on Tuesday claimed they were behind a cyberattack that disrupted the operations of a major bank in Iran. Around the same time, Iran’s official broadcaster IRIB News reported that Israel had carried out a major cyber offensive targeting key infrastructure across the country.
According to Fars News Agency, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country has faced over 6,700 cyberattacks specifically DDoS attacks in just the last three days. To reduce the damage, authorities temporarily restricted internet access.
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