Key facts
- Iran's government exploited vulnerabilities in global telecom infrastructure, specifically SS7.
- The SS7 protocol is used to route cellular calls and texts worldwide.
- Iran allegedly used this technique to locate U.S. military personnel in Iraq, Bahrain, and other Middle Eastern locations.
- These actions reportedly enabled Iran to target U.S. forces, leading to injuries.
- Iran also utilized advertising technology for mobile user surveillance.
The Iranian government exploited well-known vulnerabilities in the global telecommunications infrastructure, specifically the Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol, to locate U.S. military personnel in the Middle East. This occurred in the lead-up to and early stages of the Iran War, according to a report by The Financial Times, citing research from the Mobile Surveillance Monitor and anonymous government officials.
SS7, which has long served as the backbone for routing cellular calls and texts internationally across 2G and 3G networks, has been a known tool for intelligence agencies to track cellphones abroad. The report indicates that Iran leveraged this capability to pinpoint U.S. forces stationed at military bases and hotels in countries including Iraq and Bahrain. This intelligence allegedly allowed the Iranian regime to conduct strikes against these forces, resulting in several injuries.
In addition to SS7, Iran also reportedly utilized advertising technology, a common surveillance technique that relies on everyday technology, to gather intelligence on cellphone users.