Iranian Protests: Communication Bans & Targeting of Protestors

Wapack Labs has been monitoring the developing Iran protests. By Day 9, Wapack analysts observed an uptick in Internet and communication restrictions, including social media platforms, phone applications, encrypted/secure messaging, and Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, and other platforms. Formerly accepted by the Iranian government, the Instant Messaging Service ‘Telegram’, which had tremendous activity on Day 2 of the protests, is now disabled. At the moment, Google is preventing Iranians from using the Google Search Engine and from using ‘Signal’, an end-to-end encryption messenger that circumnavigates government filtering. To date, ProtonMail’s free VPN service for Android phones, is the only means of providing anonymity for Iranian citizens. As the Iranian government continues to disrupt communications, they are implementing scare tactics to persuade protestors to stop the movement. Irancell, a mobile network service provider, is tracking down its users - who have posted videos and pictures online - and sending them text notifications, warning them that they have been participating in illegal protests. Additionally, the Twitter account of the Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_Fa) is posting pictures of protestors, asking followers to identify protestors and report them to Iranian security forces. The current climate in Iran may give way to another wave of Iranian cyber hacktivists targeting the anti-regime demonstrators...READ MORE

Wapack Labs has cataloged and reported on Iranian protests and communications in the past. An archive of related reporting can be found in the Red Sky Alliance portal.

WWW.WAPACKLABS.COM

Iranian Protests and Cyber Hacktivism

Wapack Labs analysts have been monitoring the recent demonstrations in Iran involving discontent toward the Islamic Republic seated in the aftermath of the 1979 Revolution. Iranian dissidents and activists took to the streets by the thousands, chanting slogans like “We don’t want an Islamic Republic” and “Death to the dictator”, as they tore down pictures of Supreme Leader Khamenei and set fire to the Governor’s office. Protests began in the second most populous city in Iran, Mashhad, built centered on the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza, which remains a place for religious pilgrimage. By day two, the protests, with the help of the instant messaging service ‘Telegram’, gained momentum reaching the very western city of Kermanshah. As the Iranian government took steps to block media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Telegram, the third day of protests had already spread from the northern city of Tabriz to the southern port city of Bandar Abbas...READ MORE

 

Wapack Labs has cataloged and reported on cyber hacktivism in the past. An archive of related reporting can be found in the Red Sky Alliance portal.

WWW.WAPACKLABS.COM

Anti-Media - Mayhem in Milwaukee

On 13 August 2016, OSINT identified the use of social media in mobilizing a crowd, which turned into a riot, resulting in major property damage.  Social media was used to mobilize and insight the protestors onto a riotous situation.  There is a call out through The Anti-Media's social media outlets to target police; specifically naming three police chiefs in Detroit MI, Evergreen IL and Norwalk CT.  Social media continues to be used to form public sentiment.  We are providing this information for your situational awareness.

Publication date:  14 August 2016

Handling requirements:  Traffic light protocol (TLP) GREEN

Attribution/Threat Actors:  OSINT –  Social Media Sentiment

Actor Type:  Tier I

Potential Targets:  USA / International

OPINTEL SITREP: Women for Peace to protest at the RNC

What is Operational Intelligence?  Operation Intelligence, OPINTEL for short is the term previously used in the Navy to refer to tailored, all-source intelligence provided directly to naval operating forces. It focuses on a potential adversary's capabilities, his immediate intentions, and the environment. It is oriented more toward combat than long-range planning.  

This OPINTEL report was authored by Wapack Labs Team Jagaer, in support of Red Sky Alliance portal members, law enforcement and protection details in Cleveland area or associated with the National Conventions. We've produced nearly 100 such reports in the last 30 days, distributing them in the Red Sky Alliance portal to members.    

This report was published in its entirety to the Red Sky Alliance portal on July 7th. For more information, contact Wapack Labs at 844-4-WAPACK.      

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On 10-11 July 2016 the Women for Peace organization which is an NGO that

describes itself as a, "grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S.-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities." In addition to their focus on anti-war issues, Code Pink has taken action on issues such as drones (including protests, trips to meet with drone victims in Pakistan and Yemen and bringing them to the US), Guantanamo Bay prison (including a delegation that included former prisoners and yearly protests at the White House), Palestinian statehood (including its involvement in the BDS movement to protest Ahava, SodaStream, ReMax, and AirBnB), the Iran nuclear deal, Saudi Arabia (including protests to end U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia, its airstrikes on Yemen, and its executions of its political dissidents), and Women Cross DMZ.

They will be protesting at Public Square during the RNC1. “The Convention will take place July 15 and 16 at Olivet Church, but will shift to the Masonic Auditorium, 3615 Euclid Ave Cleveland, Oh 44115, on Sunday.”