Ethical Hacking News
Iran Alleges US Used Backdoors to Disable Networking Equipment During Conflict
The Iranian government claims that the US has used backdoors and/or botnets to disrupt networking equipment during a recent conflict, with Chinese state media reiterating Beijing's stance as a pacifist in cyberspace. The allegations have raised questions about international cybersecurity norms and potential covert operations between nations.
The United States has been accused by Iranian media outlets of using backdoors and botnets to disable networking equipment during the conflict in Iran.Prominent vendors such as Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, and MikroTik have allegedly had their hardware rebooted or disconnected during recent attacks on Iran.One scenario suggests that a hidden backdoor in firmware or bootloader enables remote attacks, while another proposes the installation of a botnet on networking equipment.Chinese state media has seized upon these allegations to criticize the US and portray itself as a pacifist in cyberspace.Iranian authorities continue to segregate users and provide selective access to the global internet through services like "Internet Pro" and "White SIMs."The effectiveness of these measures is disputed, with experts cautioning against verifying claims given the regime's efforts to limit internet connectivity.
Iranian media outlets have been abuzz with claims that the United States has employed backdoors and/or botnets to disable networking equipment during the ongoing conflict in Iran. These allegations, which have garnered significant attention from Chinese state media, suggest that US-based vendors may be complicit in the installation of these backdoors.
According to reports from Iranian sources, hardware made by prominent networking equipment providers such as Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, and MikroTik was either rebooted or disconnected during recent attacks on Iran – despite the regime's efforts to disconnect the nation from the global internet. These claims imply that the US has accessed these devices remotely at a predetermined time or through a signal from a satellite.
One hypothetical scenario posits that a hidden backdoor in firmware or bootloader enables remote attacks, while another suggests that someone has installed a botnet on networking equipment and is thus able to target specific devices from these vendors. The Iranian reports are reminiscent of earlier claims by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) that the US embeds backdoors in networking equipment.
In response, Chinese state media has seized upon these allegations to restate Beijing's position as a pacifist in cyberspace and castigate the US for its role as the real cyber-villain. A cartoon published by Chinese State Media further reinforces this narrative, emphasizing China's disapproval of what it perceives as US aggression.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities continue their efforts to segregate users and provide selective access to the global internet through a service called "Internet Pro." Additionally, reports indicate that the government has issued so-called "White SIMs" to select officials that allow for unrestricted internet access.
Activists have highlighted these tactics as evidence of Iran's regime attempting to circumvent its own internet blockade, which has been in place for 52 days. However, experts caution against verifying such claims given the regime's efforts to limit internet connectivity.
NetBlocks, a firm specializing in outage-watching and digital rights issues, notes that Iranian authorities are actively working to segregate users and provide selective access to the global internet. While this may be a reference to the "Internet Pro" service, it also underscores the complexities of Iran's internet regime and its ongoing struggles with censorship.
While these developments continue to unfold, concerns surrounding cyber-aggression persist between nations, fueling speculation about covert operations in cyberspace. It remains to be seen how these events will shape perceptions of international relations and global cybersecurity norms moving forward.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Iran-Alleges-US-Used-Backdoors-to-Disable-Networking-Equipment-During-Conflict-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/04/21/iran_claims_us_used_backdoors/
https://www.theregister.com/2026/04/21/iran_claims_us_used_backdoors/
https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-war-israel-data-centers-hacking-47fc34e48f2f952583d14b6c0664fc37
Published: Tue Apr 21 01:42:54 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
