Iran
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WhatsApp adds proxy support to help bypass government crackdowns
WhatsApp now supports proxy server access on iOS and Android, helping people living under authoritarian governments bypass communication bans.
Iran restricts access to WhatsApp and Instagram in response to Mahsa Amini protests
Iran has blocked access to Instagram and WhatsApp as its government attempts to subdue protests that began last week following the death of a woman at the hands of local authorities.
The US Treasury is investigating Kraken for enabling crypto trading in sanctioned countries
It's rough seas for crytpocurrency exchanges these days and the latest to be buffeted is one of the world's largest, Kraken.
DOJ charges two Iranian hackers for threatening US voters during 2020 election
The US Department of Justice has charged two Iranian hackers for their involvement in a disinformation campaign that targeted American voters ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Iraqi prime minister says he was the target of a drone assassination attempt
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said he was the target of a failed assassination attempt using drones.
Israel reportedly used a remote-controlled gun to assassinate an Iranian scientist
Israel allegedly used a remote-controlled, AI-boosted gun to assassinate an Iranian nuclear scientist.
Iranian hackers used Facebook to target US military personnel
On Thursday, Facebook disclosed that a network of hackers with ties to Iran tried to use its platform to target US military personnel.
Iran's railway system fell prey to a cyberattack this weekend
Cyberattacks disrupted Iran's train system and website on the weekend, causing some chaos for travellers.
US seizes Iranian websites over disinformation claims
The US government has seized 33 websites owned by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union (IRTVU), as well as three other sites owned by Iraqi-based Kata’ib Hizballah (KH), after the groups violated US sanctions, the Department of Justice said in a statement yesterday.
FBI, Homeland Security detail how Iranian hackers stole US voter data
The FBI and Homeland Security's CISA have detailed how Iranian hackers stole US voter info, including by exploiting badly configured websites.
Feds blame Russia, Iran for election misinformation and threatening emails
At a press conference on Wednesday evening, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe told reporters that two foreign actors, Iran and Russia, have been identified as taking actions to interfere in the US elections. Ratcliffe claimed the two have obtained voter data (which the Florida Secretary of State notes is publicly available), and specifically blamed Iran for emails sent to Florida Democrats that claimed to be from “Proud Boys” and contained threats goading them to vote for Donald Trump.
Twitter suspends 1,600 accounts linked to state disinformation networks
It blocked accounts allegedly run by Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Thailand.
Twitter removed 130 Iran-linked accounts during last night's debate
Twitter has removed 130 accounts that appeared to originate from Iran and were attempting to disrupt public conversation around the 2020 US Presidential debate. The social network’s Support account has revealed the deletion on the platform. It also posted sample tweets that show support for Trump and question whether moderator Chris Wallace truly is nonpartisan.
Iranian hackers' Android malware spies on dissidents by stealing 2FA codes
An Iranian hacking group made Android malware that appears built to spy on regime critics by stealing their two-factor codes.
Google says state-backed hackers are targeting Trump and Biden campaigns
Google’s security researchers say state-backed hackers from Iran and China have targeted the Trump and Biden presidential campaigns, respectively.
Senator Ted Cruz asks DOJ to investigate Twitter over Iran sanctions
Senator Ted Cruz is asking the Justice Department to investigate Twitter for allegedly violating Iran sanctions by refusing to ban a leader.
Huawei CFO is one crucial step closer to being extradited to the US
A Canadian court has ruled that Huawei's financial chief Meng Wanzhou is eligible for extradition.
China arrested former Huawei staff for talking about Iran deal online
China arrested former Huawei staff for chatting about its Iran deal, showing just how zealously the country defends its tech giant.
Iran's coronavirus 'diagnosis' app looks more like a surveillance tool
Iran is known to have one of the more serious coronavirus infection rates at the moment, but the country's government appears to be exploiting that for the sake of political control. Vice has learned that a government-endorsed app, AC19, poses as a tool to help diagnose the presence of the virus (a bogus claim by itself) but also asks for real-time location data -- clearly not necessary for telling someone whether or not they should go to the hospital. Moreover, the location permission request pop-up is in English -- and about 40 percent of Android users in Iran have phones with an OS old enough that they won't get that pop-up at all.
Leaked documents suggest Huawei violated Iran sanctions
Internal documents reviewed by Reuters show that Huawei shipped computer equipment made by Hewlett-Packard to Iran's largest mobile operator in 2010. The documents provide strong evidence that Huawei was involved in alleged trade sanction violations. They could potentially be used to strengthen the United States' multifaceted case against Huawei.