July 6, 2025

Slow Internet: Is a Large-Scale Cyber War Behind the Disruptions? (Reviewing Fars News Agency’s Claim)

These days, few people in Iran are completely satisfied with the state of the internet. Slow speeds, frequent disconnections, and difficulty accessing many online services have become part of users’ daily experience. While many users look for the reasons behind these disruptions in domestic infrastructure or filtering policies, another narrative has emerged: the narrative of cyber warfare.

Fars News Agency, a media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has explicitly claimed in a report that the slowness of the internet and disruptions in service access are signs of a large-scale cyber war against the country. The agency states that when users face internet problems, they may be unaware of the existence of “a large cyber war in progress” behind these disruptions. Fars has described these attacks as a “hidden battle” that is intensifying day by day and is targeting the country’s communication infrastructure.

This claim raises important questions. Is the main root of internet problems in Iran truly external cyber attacks? What is cyber warfare, and how can it affect internet speed and stability? And how can one distinguish between the impact of cyber attacks and other potential factors (such as weak infrastructure, poor network management, or restrictive policies)? In this article, we will examine this issue and its various dimensions.

What is Cyber Warfare and How Does it Target Communication Infrastructure?

The concept of cyber warfare refers to the use of digital tools and networks to attack infrastructure, information systems, and even disrupt the normal functioning of another country or entity. These attacks can include a wide range of activities, from cyber espionage and data theft to destructive attacks aimed at disabling systems or causing widespread disruption.

Communication infrastructure is considered one of the most important targets in cyber warfare. Internet networks, data centers, fiber optic cables, traffic management systems, and even DNS (Domain Name System) are the backbone of today’s digital world. Attacking this infrastructure can have crippling consequences and disrupt access to information and services for millions of users.

There are various types of cyber attacks that can affect internet stability and speed:

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks: In these attacks, an attacker overwhelms a server, service, or even a part of the network infrastructure with a massive volume of illegitimate traffic, causing disruption or making it inaccessible. These attacks are like blocking a highway with numerous aimless cars, preventing real traffic from reaching its destination. A large DDoS attack can occupy a significant portion of a country’s bandwidth capacity or disable critical servers, leading to widespread slowness or outages.
Attacks on Critical Infrastructure: Targeting physical equipment (like core routers or switches), control systems for communication networks (SCADA), or even physical or electromagnetic attacks on cables or data centers can also cause disruption. Although not strictly “cyber,” these are often included in the framework of modern hybrid or cyber-physical warfare.
Attacks on Routing Systems (BGP Hijacking): The BGP protocol is responsible for directing internet traffic globally. Attacks against this system can cause traffic to be misrouted or enter infinite loops, disrupting users’ access to their intended destinations.
DNS Attacks: The DNS system translates domain names (like google.com) into IP addresses. Attacks on DNS servers can prevent users from accessing websites and services using their domain names.

Fars News Agency’s claim that internet slowness is a result of cyber warfare is a veiled reference to the occurrence of one or a combination of these attacks on a large scale, targeting the country’s communication infrastructure.

Dimensions of Fars News Agency’s Claim: Hidden War and Targeting Infrastructure

The Fars News Agency report, by emphasizing that this war is “hidden,” points out that ordinary users may not be aware of the true dimensions of the cyber battle behind the daily disruptions. This type of narrative, in a situation where users are tangibly struggling with internet problems, can serve as a response to public dissatisfaction and attribute responsibility to external factors.

The reference to “organized attacks on the country’s communication infrastructure” indicates that the claim is not about accidental attacks or cybercrimes by ordinary criminals, but rather speaks of targeted and planned attacks at the level of states or their proxy groups. These infrastructures include data centers, Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), domestic and international fiber optic networks, and network management systems. Targeting these sensitive points can weaken or cut off the chain of users’ connection to the global internet.

On the other hand, accurately determining whether a network disruption is caused by a cyber attack or internal infrastructure problems (such as lack of bandwidth, outdated equipment, inefficient network management, or even power outages) is often difficult for ordinary users and even experts outside the network management team. DDoS attacks, for example, can manifest as excessive traffic and general slowness, while this slowness could also be due to increased natural traffic during peak hours or technical issues.

In today’s tense geopolitical climate, cyber warfare has become a common tool for countries. The goal can be to disable the enemy’s critical infrastructure, collect sensitive information, or even influence public opinion. Countries like Iran have also been repeatedly targeted by cyber attacks from state or non-state actors, just as they themselves have been accused of carrying out such attacks against other countries. The narrative of Fars News Agency fits within this framework, presenting internet problems as one of the fronts in this cyber confrontation.

Distinguishing Between Cyber Warfare, Infrastructure Problems, and Domestic Policies

As mentioned earlier, accurately separating the impact of cyber warfare from internal problems in Iran’s internet situation is challenging. Multiple factors can cause internet slowness or outages:

Lack of Infrastructure Investment: Communication networks require continuous updates, increased bandwidth capacity, and improved connection points. Insufficient investment in this area can lead to slowness and instability.
Network Management and Routing: The way traffic is managed within the country and its connection to international networks has a direct impact on speed. Technical issues in routing systems or traffic policies can cause bottlenecks.
Filtering and Restrictions: The widespread implementation of filtering and blocking access to numerous sites and services requires traffic processing by filters and monitoring systems, which can itself create significant overhead on the network and lead to slowness. Additionally, filtering of vital services (such as CDNs or cloud services) used by many websites can slow down page loading or prevent access to content.
Sudden Outages: Disruptions to international cables or technical issues in domestic equipment can also cause outages.

The claim of cyber warfare alone does not necessarily negate all these factors but shifts the main responsibility from internal issues to an external enemy. While serious cyber attacks can have devastating effects on infrastructure, ordinary users and independent experts often lack the necessary tools to independently verify this claim. Do cyber attacks occur? Probably yes, given the geopolitical situation. Are these attacks the sole and main reason for the current internet problems in Iran? This is a question that requires more precise technical investigation, the details of which are usually not publicly disclosed.

From the user’s perspective, the outcome is the same: the internet is slow or down. But from a national and security perspective, identifying the main reason for these disruptions is crucial for effective countermeasures. If the main problem is truly cyber warfare, the focus should be on stronger cyber defense. If the problem stems from infrastructure weaknesses or domestic policies, the solutions will be different.

Implications of the Cyber Warfare Claim for Users

Presenting the claim of cyber warfare as the main reason for internet problems can have various implications for users and the online space:

Decreased Trust: Users may become distrustful of the official reasons given for internet problems, especially if these problems are persistent and the explanations provided seem insufficient.
Acceptance of More Restrictions: In a state of cyber war, it may become easier to justify imposing more restrictions on internet access or intensifying cyber surveillance.
Lack of Transparency: The absence of transparent and independent information about the state of infrastructure and the precise nature of disruptions makes it difficult for users to ascertain the truth.
Security Concerns: Even if the disruptions are caused by cyber warfare, this fact itself raises concerns about the security of user data and online privacy.

Ultimately, for the end user, what matters is stable, fast, and secure internet access. Whether the root of the problems is internal or external, it has a direct impact on daily life, businesses, and access to information.

Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Fars News Agency’s claim that internet slowness and outages in Iran are signs of a large-scale cyber war against the country offers a noteworthy narrative regarding the current state of the internet. This narrative attributes users’ tangible problems to a hidden and complex battle in cyberspace targeting critical communication infrastructure.

While cyber attacks are probable in the current tense climate and can affect network stability, distinguishing between the impact of these attacks and the role of other factors such as weak infrastructure, inefficient network management, or the direct and indirect effects of extensive filtering is essential for a complete understanding of the problem and finding sustainable solutions. More transparency in providing independent technical reports on the network status and the main causes of disruptions can help increase public trust and better understand the dimensions of the challenges facing the country’s internet.

It is important for users also, with awareness of the complexities of cyberspace and the potential reasons for internet slowness or outages, to engage in critical analysis of information and not rely solely on one narrative. Ultimately, improving the internet situation in Iran requires a comprehensive approach that includes strengthening cyber defense against external attacks and addressing the root domestic problems in infrastructure and network management.

Slow Internet: Is a Large-Scale Cyber War Behind the Disruptions? (Reviewing Fars News Agency’s Claim)