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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Iran tightens online control by creating own network | Iran tightens online control by creating own network |
| (4 months later) | |
| Iran's government, determined to limit western influence and stave off cyber-attacks, appears to have laid the technical foundations for a national online network that would be detached from the internet and allow tighter control over the flow of information. | Iran's government, determined to limit western influence and stave off cyber-attacks, appears to have laid the technical foundations for a national online network that would be detached from the internet and allow tighter control over the flow of information. |
| The concept of a self-contained network has been discussed in Iran for almost a decade and has often met with scepticism, given the significant investment in infrastructure and security required. But Iranian officials and outside experts say that development of the network has accelerated following cyber-attacks aimed at the country's nuclear programme. | The concept of a self-contained network has been discussed in Iran for almost a decade and has often met with scepticism, given the significant investment in infrastructure and security required. But Iranian officials and outside experts say that development of the network has accelerated following cyber-attacks aimed at the country's nuclear programme. |
| Last month the communications and information technology minister unveiled a plan to take key government agencies and military outfits offline and on to the new network by the end of September. US security researchers say they are seeing evidence of an operational network that is consistent with Iran's publicly stated plans. | Last month the communications and information technology minister unveiled a plan to take key government agencies and military outfits offline and on to the new network by the end of September. US security researchers say they are seeing evidence of an operational network that is consistent with Iran's publicly stated plans. |
| The researchers, working at the University of Pennsylvania's Centre for Global Communications Studies, say in a report that they have found functional versions of the sites of government ministries, universities and businesses on the network. They also found evidence of an already operational filtering capability. | The researchers, working at the University of Pennsylvania's Centre for Global Communications Studies, say in a report that they have found functional versions of the sites of government ministries, universities and businesses on the network. They also found evidence of an already operational filtering capability. |
| At the core of the network was high-end equipment made by the Chinese firm Huawei that is capable of sophisticated online surveillance of traffic. The network is already "internally consistent and widely reachable", concluded the report. | At the core of the network was high-end equipment made by the Chinese firm Huawei that is capable of sophisticated online surveillance of traffic. The network is already "internally consistent and widely reachable", concluded the report. |
| William Plummer, vice president for external affairs at Huawei, said: "Huawei has not sold equipment to the Iranian government nor does it support monitoring traffic. Huawei only sells commercial equipment built to global standards to commercial operators." | William Plummer, vice president for external affairs at Huawei, said: "Huawei has not sold equipment to the Iranian government nor does it support monitoring traffic. Huawei only sells commercial equipment built to global standards to commercial operators." |
| The findings are likely to worry internet freedom activists and the Obama administration, which has spent tens of millions of dollars on initiatives designed to ease access to the internet in Iran and other countries with repressive governments. Officials had expressed concerns even before the release of the latest research. | The findings are likely to worry internet freedom activists and the Obama administration, which has spent tens of millions of dollars on initiatives designed to ease access to the internet in Iran and other countries with repressive governments. Officials had expressed concerns even before the release of the latest research. |
| "We have concerns from not only a human rights perspective, but about the integrity of the internet," David Baer, deputy assistant secretary for the US state department's bureau of democracy, human rights and labour, said. "When countries section off parts of the web, not only do their citizens suffer, everyone does." | "We have concerns from not only a human rights perspective, but about the integrity of the internet," David Baer, deputy assistant secretary for the US state department's bureau of democracy, human rights and labour, said. "When countries section off parts of the web, not only do their citizens suffer, everyone does." |
| Experts say a protected Iran-only network could help officials counter US-funded programs that allow Iranian activists to evade online surveillance. It could also help insulate Iranian computers from a covert cyber-attacks campaign that Iranian officials say the US and Israel continue to wage. | Experts say a protected Iran-only network could help officials counter US-funded programs that allow Iranian activists to evade online surveillance. It could also help insulate Iranian computers from a covert cyber-attacks campaign that Iranian officials say the US and Israel continue to wage. |
| The Iranian network is not expected to entirely replace the internet. But for ordinary Iranians it could be a well-run alternative to the internet, which in Iran is often still accessed through dial-up connections. Internet speeds are intentionally suppressed to make certain web activities, including the streaming of video, virtually impossible. Many websites, such as Facebook and YouTube, are blocked. | The Iranian network is not expected to entirely replace the internet. But for ordinary Iranians it could be a well-run alternative to the internet, which in Iran is often still accessed through dial-up connections. Internet speeds are intentionally suppressed to make certain web activities, including the streaming of video, virtually impossible. Many websites, such as Facebook and YouTube, are blocked. |
| Having the infrastructure for a skeleton Iran-only internet in place would give the government greater power to shut off access to the internet at times of civil unrest, such as the anti-government protests in 2009. | Having the infrastructure for a skeleton Iran-only internet in place would give the government greater power to shut off access to the internet at times of civil unrest, such as the anti-government protests in 2009. |
| "The main reason for this project is security," said Moussavi Khoeini, a former Iranian reformer and parliament member now living in exile. "They may say it's to increase internet speeds or protect against harmful content, but it's always been security." | "The main reason for this project is security," said Moussavi Khoeini, a former Iranian reformer and parliament member now living in exile. "They may say it's to increase internet speeds or protect against harmful content, but it's always been security." |
| Not all experts are convinced that an Iranian network would be viable, especially given the need for access to the internet for commercial purposes and international communication. | Not all experts are convinced that an Iranian network would be viable, especially given the need for access to the internet for commercial purposes and international communication. |
| "Any attempt by a country to make an intranet is doomed to failure," Cedric Leighton, a retired deputy director at the National Security Agency, said in an interview. But he said Iran's "cyber-army", a network of government-supported hackers that has attacked western targets in recent years, does stand to gain from the attempted creation of a national network. By connecting thousands of servers inside Iran, the government would "build on their knowledge of networks and how they operate", he said, increasing their capabilities to both launch and repel cyber-attacks. | "Any attempt by a country to make an intranet is doomed to failure," Cedric Leighton, a retired deputy director at the National Security Agency, said in an interview. But he said Iran's "cyber-army", a network of government-supported hackers that has attacked western targets in recent years, does stand to gain from the attempted creation of a national network. By connecting thousands of servers inside Iran, the government would "build on their knowledge of networks and how they operate", he said, increasing their capabilities to both launch and repel cyber-attacks. |
| The US administration and internet freedom experts have expressed concern that the launch of the Iranian network could set a precedent for repressive governments. "We don't want governments to believe that it is now legitimate to take a country offline," said Brett Solomon, executive director of AccessNow.org, a global digital freedom initiative. "If we look back to the Egyptian revolution, where the regime shut down the free flow of information, you can see how this act could give rise to the creation of a new international norm." | The US administration and internet freedom experts have expressed concern that the launch of the Iranian network could set a precedent for repressive governments. "We don't want governments to believe that it is now legitimate to take a country offline," said Brett Solomon, executive director of AccessNow.org, a global digital freedom initiative. "If we look back to the Egyptian revolution, where the regime shut down the free flow of information, you can see how this act could give rise to the creation of a new international norm." |
| This story appeared in the Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from the Washington Post | This story appeared in the Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from the Washington Post |
| • This story was amended on 28 September 2012 to reinstate a quote from William Plummer, vice president for external affairs at Huawei, denying that the company supplied equipment to the Iranian government or supports monitoring traffic. | • This story was amended on 28 September 2012 to reinstate a quote from William Plummer, vice president for external affairs at Huawei, denying that the company supplied equipment to the Iranian government or supports monitoring traffic. |
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