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Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

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Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#261
post #209

This seems like it would have the potential for a lot of collateral damage due to the possibility that modified pagers might enter general distribution. That is to say, how do they insure that a given shipment of pagers are only going to Hezbollah as opposed to some of them going to people like aid workers?

[flagged]

If that were the case, Israel wouldn't be intricately planting bombs in Hezbollah pagers.

Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#263

This seems like it would have the potential for a lot of collateral damage due to the possibility that modified pagers might enter general distribution. That is to say, how do they insure that a given shipment of pagers are only going to Hezbollah as opposed to some of them going to people like aid workers?

I suspect that is an intentional side effect against the whole pager network. It is now totally compromised which means they can no longer use passive channels as a communication medium. This effectively shut down their comms structure. As for aid workers, they mostly use whatever low ball android phones they can get their hands on I know someone who volunteered out there and everyone uses them and Telegram). I don't…

Well, now that everyone knows it's feasible to hide a small bomb inside a pager, what's to stop people from checking their pagers for tiny explosives before using them?

Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#264

From Israel's perspective, this supply chain attack was undoubtedly a clever move, but I can't help but wonder about its long-term consequences. Although it was aimed at harming Israel's adversaries, third-party countries may now hesitate to involve Israel in their supply chains. There's also the risk that other major producers could replicate this tactic, potentially leading to further escalation in the region or be…

Do you think Hezbollah was buying stuff from Israel, or otherwise using Israeli supply chains?

I think it's far more likely that Mossad has infiltrated whatever foreign (non-Israeli) supply chain they were using.

So this can happen regardless of whether you're using Israeli supply chains or not.

Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#265

From Israel's perspective, this supply chain attack was undoubtedly a clever move, but I can't help but wonder about its long-term consequences. Although it was aimed at harming Israel's adversaries, third-party countries may now hesitate to involve Israel in their supply chains. There's also the risk that other major producers could replicate this tactic, potentially leading to further escalation in the region or be…

[flagged]

Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#266
post #179

If we try to do what we are best at here at HN, let’s focus the discussion on the technical aspects of it. It immediately reminded me of Stuxnet, which also from a technical perspective was quite interesting. I already wonder if this was anything that was planted in the devices perviously, or if the ones responsible had similar devices, and managed reverse engineer them and craft a payload to them, that could be sent…

Compared to Stuxnet it's also a first where this kind of attack was done at scale. Regardless of the particular target it's of course the question whether this is a desirable practice in cyber warfare. For such a new field there are very few ethical guidelines yet, like we do have for more conventional warfare.

Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#268
post #179

If we try to do what we are best at here at HN, let’s focus the discussion on the technical aspects of it. It immediately reminded me of Stuxnet, which also from a technical perspective was quite interesting. I already wonder if this was anything that was planted in the devices perviously, or if the ones responsible had similar devices, and managed reverse engineer them and craft a payload to them, that could be sent…

[flagged]

I'm among those who often despairs that HN cannot address trenchant political issues, or aspects of stories. I really wish it could do better.

That said, if you do want to discuss those issues, the best way is to do so with an extreme awareness of HN's comment guidelines and provide a highly constructive example for others to follow. Complaining about others generally doesn't have that effect. Responding to complaints of others, even constructively, is at best marginally effective as well, of course.

I'll be the first to admit that the politics of the Middle East is exceedingly complex, most hats are at best grey, and I find myself often critical, occasionally impressed and supportive of, various parties.

One factor which might help is distinguishing direct beligerants and forces (regular or irregular) and political factions on the one hand from the civilian populations at large on the other (both sides face a high degree of risk, whether as collateral damage or as direct targets).

I'd also strongly urge all to downvote and flag clear agitation and of course nationalistic flamewars, as dang so very often admonishes: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu...>.

Re: Hezbollah pager explosions kill several people in Lebanon

#270
post #215

8 year old girl was dead there, not only hezbollah members uses it, hospitals uses it too

If it's a child sitting on the lap with her father, and her father is related to Hezbollah (and as such carrying a pager), this stuff could happen, I think.

All in all horrible to be honest ...

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