In the past two days, two coordinated attacks using pager and walkie-talkie technology combined with remote-controlled explosives resulted in 26 deaths and over 3,000 injuries. The targets were Hezbollah members, and the attacks took place in Lebanon.
Although the scenario sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, it was a tragic reality that involved the deaths of children and civilians. Reuters reported that thousands of pagers in the hands of Hezbollah fighters exploded throughout the country, causing numerous casualties.
Due to the complexity of the attack, the news has generated confusion and speculation about the use of wireless devices as weapons in this context.
An analysis by Colonel William Dunn
While no official information has been released on how the devices were manipulated, experts cited by CNN suggest that the operation was highly sophisticated and lasted at least a year. The theory points to an infiltration of Hezbollah’s communications supply chain, where the devices were modified at a hardware level.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported an explosion near a Hezbollah-organized funeral for the victims of the previous attack. A reporter in southern Beirut witnessed Hezbollah members trying to disable other walkie-talkies by removing their batteries and throwing the remains into metal barrels.
Retired U.S. Marine Colonel William “Burner” Dunn, who chairs the Strategic Resilience Group, explained to Techopedia that the attack seemed to have been a meticulously planned remote operation.
Hezbollah, suspecting espionage, had ordered its members to stop using mobile phones and instead provided them with pagers to avoid having their communications tracked by Israeli intelligence. According to Dunn, while the U.S. was not involved in the attack, it is suspected that Israel’s anti-terrorist unit Mossad might have infiltrated the supply chain and modified the pagers before they entered Lebanon and Syria.
Dunn stressed that the technology needed for such operations already exists and is not new. The key was understanding how Hezbollah acquired and distributed these devices, after which explosives and a triggering mechanism were inserted.
According to the colonel, he doesn’t believe the explosives were activated by a timer, but more likely through an electronic signal, such as a call.
Can other devices be manipulated?
When Techopedia asked if other devices, such as smartphones or laptops, could be manipulated in a similar way, Dunn was clear: “Any system that receives an external signal, like a mobile phone or a smartwatch, could be vulnerable to this threat.”
To prevent these attacks, users should ensure the origin and security of their devices. Additionally, procedures could be developed to check for explosives in equipment.
Colonel Dunn warns that this threat could drastically change the manufacturing lines and supply chains for technology. He compared the situation to the 1982 Tylenol case, when bottles of the medicine were contaminated with cyanide, resulting in seven deaths. Following that incident, the industry dramatically changed the way products were packaged and distributed in the U.S. Dunn believes similar changes could occur in the production of electronic devices, especially pagers and mobile phones.
A stricter technological stance
The U.S. Congress has taken a tougher stance on technological threats, particularly those related to geopolitical tensions and foreign adversaries. Examples of this include the ban on TikTok, export restrictions on AI chips to China, and the recently passed ROUTERS Act, aimed at evaluating modems and routers used in the country.
As for how to protect themselves, Dunn suggests that military personnel deployed in conflict zones, such as the Middle East, should refrain from carrying personal communication devices like mobile phones. “The key is secure communications,” he said, as common devices are not reliable in such environments.
Conclusion
Technology has played a critical role in geopolitical conflicts, and cyberspace has become a new battlefield. However, the attacks in Lebanon show that even everyday devices, like pagers and walkie-talkies, can be turned into lethal weapons. This episode has alerted governments worldwide to the potential risks, likely leading to new regulations that will change how technological devices are manufactured and distributed.
By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director