Lebanon Pager explosion: Know how the pagers turned bombs

Technology is rapidly advancing, but like everything, it has two sides- positive and negative. On one hand, technology tools can be used for good; on the other hand, they can also be misused for harmful purposes.

Recently, a massive cyberattack occurred in Lebanon. According to media reports, fourteen people died and over 300 were injured after walkie-talkies exploded at Hezbollah strongholds across the country. 

The exact number of walkie-talkies that exploded is unknown, but estimates suggest several hundred were involved. 

There are also reports of landline telephones exploding in various locations in East Lebanon. Overall, more than 1,000 pager devices reportedly detonated simultaneously, raising questions about how such an event was possible.

What Are Pager Devices?

Pagers are small devices that receive short messages. When someone wants to send a message, they dial the pager's number and type the message. The pager then picks up the signal and displays the message for the user. Pagers operate using radio waves, allowing users to receive messages even when they are away from a phone.

Although pagers are old technology, dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, they are still used in many industries for their reliability. 

Understanding Pager Explosion

However, in this attack, they were turned into deadly weapons. Reports on social media suggest that these pagers were modified with small explosive charges, similar to a high-tech Trojan horse. 

It appears that these rigged pagers were triggered by a coded message disguised as normal communication, indicating that someone may have hacked the entire pager network.

Some people speculated that the explosions could have been caused by overheating batteries, but experts stated that the explosions were too coordinated and powerful for that to be the case. This was definitely intentional, as discussed on various online forums.

This attack highlights the potential for everyday technology, including smartphones and even old devices like pagers, to be weaponised in ways we never imagined. 

As the situation develops, there may be more lessons to learn about the implications of this incident.