In late September, 2024, during the hot conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, located in Southern Lebanon, the pagers of approximately 3,000 persons, most apparently associated with Hezbollah, exploded. Many were injured, some blinded, some lost hands, some children and other non-combattants were killed, even some members of the Government of Lebanon. Similar to the "Tailored Access" program pioneered in the United States, these pagers, and later some phones, were tampered with in their route from the manufacturer to the final consumer. A compound was injected into the battery(s). This made it possible to modify the flow of electricity in the device in a way to trigger an explosion. As part of the conflict, this cyber attack may be seen as a type of "battlefield preparation" undertaken before a ground attack. It is not possible to know the ultimate effect of this cyber attack on the battle, but the psychological and reputational harm was very great.
Manufacturers of equipment not willingly working governments will hereafter need to work harder at guaranteeing the integrity of their supply chains.
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