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June 22, 2009

Iran’s Web Spying Aided by European Firms Siemens and Nokia
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The Wall Street Journal reports European telecommunications companies
have helped the Iranian government develop one of the world’s most
sophisticated mechanisms for controlling and censoring the internet. The
monitoring capability was provided at least in part by a joint venture
of the German-based Siemens AG and Nokia, the Finnish cellphone company.
Using the technology, the Iranian government appears to be engaging in a
practice often called deep packet inspection, which enables authorities
not only to block communication but to monitor it to gather information
about individuals, as well as alter it for disinformation purposes.



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