Iranian App Hacked, Pro-Israel Messages Sent to Millions

A cyberattack targeted a popular Iranian mobile application, sending pro-Israel messages to millions of users, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The incident is the latest in a series of cyber intrusions coinciding with heightened tensions in the region.

The compromised application, “Badisaba Calendar,” is widely used in Iran for tracking prayer times and sending reminders. It has been downloaded more than five million times via Google Play Store, according to the report.

The messages urged members of the Iranian military to defect and protect their families, while others promised amnesty in exchange for surrender, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The attack is part of a broader wave of cyberattacks that have occurred alongside military actions. Several Iranian government websites, including the state news agency IRNA, experienced outages, and internet connectivity was disrupted, according to reports.

Compromised websites displayed articles critical of the Iranian government, attempting to undermine its credibility and sow discord among the population. This cyber incursion reflects a shift toward digital warfare tactics.

Narges Keshavarzian, a digital rights researcher at Miaan Group, told Wired that no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mori Haber, chief security advisor at BeyondTrust, concurred, noting that a cyber operation of this magnitude requires extensive planning and likely occurred sometime before it was used.

"This is not a random attack; it is a conflict between two countries and it was executed intentionally and precisely," Haber said.

Prior to this incident, Firstpost reported that Iranian users received text messages containing statements attributed to former U.S. President Donald Trump, including the phrase “I am a man of action,” in Farsi.

This tactic represents a digital evolution of traditional warfare methods, such as distributing propaganda leaflets. During the Vietnam War, the United States dropped over six million leaflets in 1973, according to the New York Times.

In 2023, the Israeli army employed similar tactics during its operation in Gaza, the Guardian reported.