Researcher on Internet infrastructure, state-sponsored hacking, sanctions, human rights, and authoritarianism; 'Blonde guy, talks about Iran a lot.'(ملا لغتی)
Joined January 2009
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Now published through @CarnegieEndow – "Iran’s Cyber Threat: Espionage, Sabotage, and Revenge" – the decade long history of Iranian cyber operations against foreign and domestic targets. By me and @ksadjadpour. carnegieendowment.org/2018/0…
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RT @Vermeullarmine: One can only think here of what the Delphic oracle said to Croesus of Lydia in the Histories: if you march against the…
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If there's no 'inter' in internet, it's a blackout. Expensive, regime controlled VPNs, whitelisted users, and brief lapses aren't access. It is absolutely true that Iran has engaged in a mass, extended, and near unprecedented blackout of internet access.
Calling it a total “internet blackout” is misleading. What has been restricted is *international* connectivity, not the domestic internet: national websites, banking systems, and local alternatives to platforms like Uber, YouTube, and Google remain fully functional.
The adoption of alternative digital infrastructures is not uniquely Iranian. States that perceive themselves as vulnerable to imperialist cyber operations or disinformation campaigns in hybrid warfare adopt this strategy. Reliance on domestic platforms in this context is a matter of digital sovereignty and resilience.
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This pedantry has the moral clarity of saying "I didn't steal everything from that man, I left him a dollar." And it only works with a Western audience – anyone who spends a moment looking at Persian twitter can see the mass pain of not being able reach family. It's repugnant.
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PAAIA's issues survey did not get enough attention. Surprisingly, support for a monarchy hasn't changed over the years. Social media reflects loud voices, but not real life. paaia.org/wp-content/uploads…
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What this really needs to complete the experience is a Polymarket listing about when their bar starts working, followed by allegations of insider trading. And then for everyone to fight over the meaning of "working."
Polymarket event in DC had technical issues leading to nearly all of the monitors being out….said they will work on resolving overnight for the weekend.
I estimate at least 50 monitors were set up for the event, but not working now.
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cda retweeted
Mar 10
The human cost of Trump's war of choice in Iran is unconscionable & unjust—this Administration is threatening lives with its reckless decision making & disregard for humanity. I joined @MSNOWNews to discuss.
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cda retweeted
"Can we get rid of this ayatollah T-shirt? Khomeini died years ago."
"But, Marge, it works on any ayatollah-- Ayatollah Nakhbadeh, Ayatollah Zahedi. As we speak, Ayatollah Razmara and his cadre of fanatics are consolidating their power."
"I don't care who's consolidating their power."
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Tragic watching the hacker curiosities of the 90s & 00s repeatedly weaponized by the malign, but there's something especially heartbreaking about IRGC intelligence wardriving Tehran for Starlink MAC addresses in Kismet, tossing their owners in prison for 'enmity toward God.'
Jan 16
⚠️ اصلاحیه به هشدار قبلیام درباره اسکن سیگنالهای WiFi استارلینک توسط رژیم جمهوری اسلامی:
پنهان کردن SSID یا استفاده از Bypass Mode گام مفیدی است، اما کاملاً امن نیست— اسکنرها همچنان میتوانند رادیوی WiFi فعال را تشخیص دهند.
ایمنترین گزینه: خاموش کردن کامل پخش WiFi روی روتر استارلینک و استفاده فقط از اتصالات سیمی Ethernet
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Interesting that all of #Iran's background internet traffic dropped to zero at the same time across networks around 11pm. TIC flipped a switch at the gateway, rather than ISPs complying with a mandate? Nothing much getting in or out ...
ioda.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu…
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Despite appearance of a total blackout, interesting what's actually still connected to the global internet, e.g. Persian Gulf Petrochemical Company. Given the live MikroTik and OPNsense instances, wonder if, in addition to white SIM cards, VIPs have domestic VPNs as bridge out.
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@eastdakota @dbelson Curious, if Iran was otherwise blacked out, what could account for the weird brief spike in DNS (PTR requests no less!) last night? Data issue?
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