A recent report by The Financial Times has revealed that the Iranian government exploited well-known flaws in cellphone networks to locate and strike US military personnel in the Middle East. The vulnerabilities were reportedly used in the build-up to the Iran War, as well as in the early days of the conflict.
The Iranian government allegedly used Signaling System 7 (SS7), a set of protocols for 2G and 3G networks, to route calls and texts around the world. This allowed them to track US military forces stationed in military bases and hotels in countries such as Iraq and Bahrain.
Intelligence agencies have long abused SS7 to track cellphones abroad, and this technique was reportedly used in this campaign. The attacks resulted in several injuries.
Iran also allegedly exploited advertising technology used to serve tailored ads to cellphone users, another well-known surveillance technique that relies on everyday technology.
The Foreign Office travel advice for the Middle East warns British nationals to exercise caution and to be aware of the ongoing conflict. However, there is no specific advice to avoid using mobile networks in the region.