Hezbollah, Pagers, and Cyber ​​Warfare. Could It Happen to Cars and Cell Phones?

The sequential explosion of thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria. A technological attack that risks exacerbating the conflict between the militant group and Israel. The explosions are “the biggest security breach to date”, complains the Islamist paramilitary organization that points the finger at the Jewish state: “We hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this aggression, which also hit civilians and caused the death of numerous martyrs and numerous injuries”. The ‘Party of God’ has promised a “just punishment for this criminal aggression”. The Lebanese government has also accused Tel Aviv, thanks to the reconstruction provided by Hezbollah: the pagers involved were part of a new shipment received in recent days. The offensive could have been carried out with a malware cyber attack capable of overheating devices to the point of blowing them up, but this is not the only hypothesis in the field.

According to experts, it is indeed an unprecedented attack, but not so innovative from a technological point of view. According to what was reported by many witnesses, some people heard the pagers – the so-called pagers, used because they are more difficult to intercept by the secret services – warming up, managing to get rid of them in time. Others, less careful, were injured, even fatally. A mode of action typical of the Mossadthe Iranian intelligence agency, according to analyst Ronen Solomon. Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at Le Beck International, agrees.

What seems clear is that the pagers were sold to the Shiite group by an Iranian company. But how was it possible to tamper with them? Cyber ​​security expert Claudio Telmon cited three hypotheses. As highlighted by the Sun 24 Hourstwo contemplate the need for Israel to have managed to get its hands on every device, intercepting the intended load. In this case, the explosive would have been inserted near the battery, causing a chain reaction. In one hypothesis there is the aforementioned use of malware, a Trojan, capable of opening a hidden port on a system, usable by third parties who installed it. The alternative is represented by the use of special radio frequencies, so as to instruct the pagers to activate the explosive. The third and final possibility does not contemplate the use of explosives: those responsible for the attack could have overheated the pagers with remote controls, blowing up the battery.

As highlighted by cyber security expert Pierguido Iezzi at theAdnkronosit is not the first time that Israel has resorted to operations of this type. About thirty years ago the Shin Bet killed the “Engineer” Yahya Ayyashthe leader of the Hamas attackers, through an explosion via a cell phone. The Mossad, on the other hand, had assassinated a Palestinian representative in Paris by turning his home phone into a trap: after having filled it with explosives, they transmitted the decisive impulse when the target answered a call.

Can it happen to our cell phones? The reason why Hezbollah uses pagers is precisely to avoid interception by the enemy, since these devices are not connected to standard communication channels like cell phones (WiFi or GSM). The question everyone is asking is: can it happen to our cell phones? Yes and no. Paul From Checcocomputer forensic consultant, at Courier explains that “theand lithium batteries in cell phones, but also those in household appliances, as well as scooters and electric cars, are subject to fires but are unlikely to explode in a disruptive manner”. In short: “That our smartphones could be detonated remotely seems highly unlikely, indeed almost impossible, unless they have been set up to do so by inserting an explosive charge”. It is also true, however, that “in theory” a battery could be heated remotely “to the point of damaging it, perhaps even causing it to swell and catch fire”. However, an explosion similar to those recorded in Lebanon would not be likely.

Certainly, the attack on Hezbollah confirms the potential of the technology at warbut at the same time it scares. It scares. The reason is simple: perhaps no one is and will ever be truly safe. If it is possible to use even a pager to kill a man, anything is possible. Technology is capable of exploiting any device, even the most ancient. After all, we have all come to terms with the images of attacks carried out with drones, used both to make films and to blow up enemy groups. Imagine hypothesizing the potential of an attack that could be carried out with cars, all hyper-technological today, or with hi-tech watches and glasses.