SMEX highlights ongoing internet and telecom disruptions, revealing critical cybersecurity gaps in CSOs and concerns over data privacy, misinformation, and restricted access to information.
This statement was originally published on smex.org on 21 March 2025.
Most civil society organizations in Syria are yet to implement robust cybersecurity plans, including basic security measures, risking data integrity and privacy.
Recently, internet and communication services have been disrupted in different areas for unknown reasons, cutting off residents from staying connected during escalating tensions.
Internet outages in Daraa and Suweyda
Repeated attacks on the telecom infrastructure in Daraa and Suweyda have damaged the fiber optic connecting the two provinces, causing a sudden outage. On March 9, however, internet and communication services were restored.
Ahmad Al-Hariri, Director of Daraa’s Telecoms Branch, explained that attacks had severed a critical fiber optic cable and caused a complete service outage.
Concerns after communication blackouts in Syrian coast
On March 17, residents in the cities of Latakia and Tartus feared that a potential security operation might be underway after they experienced a disruption in mobile network and internet services.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the cause of the outage remains unknown. Nonetheless, it significantly disrupted businesses and essential services.
On March 8, residents across rural Latakia lost access to electricity and potable water, coinciding with massacres committed on Syria’s coast. Electricity outages have also contributed to disruptions in internet and network connections.
The risk of printing official documents in Turkey
In late December 2024, the Turkish newspaper Türkiye Gazetesi reported that Syria’s new administration had asked for Turkey’s support in providing some services, including printing official documents such as identity cards, passports, and driver’s licenses.
This initiative sparked legitimate concerns over the privacy of Syrian citizens’ data, which would be placed in the hands of a foreign entity that has a solid track record of violations. It also constitutes a clear breach of data sovereignty, which mandates that such data be processed internally, within the country.
For more details, see this report by Syrians for Truth and Justice.
Concerns over cybersecurity in civil society organizations in Northeast Syria
Since the start of the war, civil society organizations in Syria have faced significant challenges in protecting sensitive data and ensuring secure communications. These protracted issues have resulted in security gaps that threaten both staff data and organizational archives.
In Northeast Syria, organizations had initially relied on Syria’s state-run telecommunications network. However, they transitioned to satellite internet after the war broke out. They then shifted to Turkish internet, and finally to the local “Arsel” network.
Continuous changes have created major security vulnerabilities, leading to chaos, data loss, and lack of access to crucial information. The situation remains unresolved to this day. Nevertheless, despite the severe cybersecurity risks they face, civil society organizations in Syria are yet to implement advanced digital safety and privacy measures.
Most training sessions provided to staff focus on basic skills, such as creating an email account or managing social media pages, without delving into fundamental institutional cybersecurity principles.
Authorities restrict internet services to licensed providers
Syria’s Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority, affiliated with the Ministry of Communications, has prohibited business owners and public spaces from offering internet services unless licensed by the Authority.
According to Mohammad Atef Al-Deiri, Acting Head of the Authority, the regulation applies to establishments and public spaces that offer internet services, including universities, hotels, cafes, and public parks. He urged venue operators to refrain from providing internet services before obtaining their licenses.
Misinformation as a fuel for violence in Syria
The spread of misinformation has been directly linked to the massacres committed in Syria’s coastal regions.
Fact-checking platforms have identified the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate videos and alter voices, producing content that is inciting and visually disturbing. Meanwhile, posts mourning individuals who were allegedly killed were later discredited—denying their deaths or even confirming that they were not in the country at all.
