September is an exciting time of year, especially for students and families preparing for the academic season. I look forward to it because of the highly anticipated global tech events, like the Apple Event, where the latest innovations are revealed.
For months, I had been saving to buy the most advanced laptop, talking to tech enthusiasts, and reading reviews.
A friend, however, pointed out the irony: “Why buy such a sophisticated laptop when all you use are Word and PowerPoint?” The truth is, I wanted to keep up with my students, flashing the latest gadgets in my hometown of Salalah, where new tech often doubles as a status symbol.
But this September was different. Like millions of others, my excitement was overshadowed by a tragic and unexpected disruption: the Israeli Occupation Forces’ attack on technology supply chains in Lebanon.
Targeting pagers and radios, these attacks resulted in the deaths of dozens and left over 4,000 injured, including women and children. These events force us to confront difficult questions: What are technology supply chain attacks? How have they been used historically? And what can we do to prevent their devastating impacts?
What is a technology supply chain attack?
A technology supply chain attack occurs when adversaries exploit weaknesses in the interconnected systems that develop, produce, or distribute technology products. These attacks aim to disrupt, damage, or sabotage critical infrastructure.
Whether it’s through hacking, malware insertion, or physical sabotage, attackers compromise the systems that enable our everyday communications, commerce, and security. The recent attack in Lebanon targeted essential communication tools — pagers and radios — that are vital in times of crisis. Such attacks affect not just infrastructure but also public safety, revealing the vulnerability of the technologies that connect us and power modern life.
Colonial parallels
While the 2024 attack was devastating, it is not the first time communication systems have been weaponised to suppress resistance. During the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962), French colonial forces launched vicious attacks on communication supply chains to weaken the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN).
The French used technological sabotage - jamming radio signals, intercepting transmissions, and destroying communication lines - in an attempt to dismantle the Algerian resistance.
Despite these brutal efforts, which resulted in millions of martyrs over 132 years of colonisation, Algeria eventually gained its independence. The failure of the French to break the Algerians’ willpower, despite sophisticated attacks on their communication systems, serves as a powerful historical lesson: supply chain sabotage can delay but not defeat the spirit of liberation.
Economic fallout and Western complicity
In 2024, the economic impact of these supply chain attacks is far-reaching. The strikes on Lebanon were facilitated through a network of US, Hungarian, and Bulgarian shell companies, a manoeuvre designed to obscure accountability.
Western media outlets, including the BBC, celebrated the attack as a strategic success, raising questions about complicity and the normalisation of such acts.
The disruption to global technology trade has been immense, with billions of dollars lost as a result of compromised supply chains. Multinational corporations dependent on these supply chains have been forced to grapple with halted production, increased costs, and shaken consumer confidence.
The wider consequences are being felt by consumers worldwide, as trust in the security and reliability of technology products has been severely undermined.
Rebuilding trust: A path forward
Humanity must rise above these tactics. We can restore trust in our technology supply chains through collective action and a commitment to justice. First, nations should prioritise local content development, reducing dependency on external suppliers by fostering domestic production - an approach exemplified by Oman’s In Country Value (ICV) initiative. By strengthening local capabilities, countries can insulate themselves from supply chain vulnerabilities.
Second, reparations for the victims of these attacks should be pursued, not only to provide justice but to signal that such actions will not be tolerated.
Economic sanctions and criminal charges must be imposed on those responsible, including the Israeli Occupation Forces, to demonstrate the international community’s commitment to accountability.
Ultimately, we can build a more resilient, just, and trustworthy technological world. By addressing the structural vulnerabilities in our supply chains and holding those responsible for sabotage accountable, we ensure that technology remains a force for connection and progress, not division and destruction.
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