A mysterious online game promising financial rewards has spread across Iran, attracting players who defy government warnings in their quest for wealth.
But what is the game and fashion about? Why does it captivate the masses and what fuels the opposition against it?
What is Hamster Kombat?
Hamster Kombat, a rapidly expanding โplay-to-earnโ mobile game accessible via Telegram, officially debuted on March 25. In just 72 days, he had accumulated more than 116 million users.
This game allows players to oversee a virtual cryptocurrency exchange, earning in-game coins which can then be converted into tokens.
The fundamental gameplay revolves around players selecting a cryptocurrency exchange they wish to manage and tapping the central Hamster icon on the screen to accumulate winnings in the form of in-game coins.
As players accumulate more coins in the exchange balance, their level increases, facilitating faster coin earnings.
What is the attraction?
The hope of users is that the game list on a stock exchange. Cryptocurrency listing, also known as cryptocurrency listing, involves listing a newly launched cryptocurrency on an exchange platform, thus making it publicly accessible for trading.
The games similar NotcoinA popular game in which some players achieved monetary gains, has also contributed to its appeal.
Furthermore, it is essential not to overlook the simplicity of the game and the popularity of Telegram in Iran as a platform itself.
Then what could go wrong?
The game can lead to identity and data breaches, as experts have told Iran International.
โSince this game is NFT [non-fungible tokens]the ecosystem and platforms surrounding its use can directly lead to user tracking and data collection in different ways,โ Sahar Tahvili, an artificial intelligence researcher and co-author of โArtificial Intelligence Methods for Optimization of the Internet,โ told Iran International. software testing process.
"NFT" means a digital token of ownership that is typically bought or sold using a cryptocurrency.
โThis type of data is usually used for online marketing; However, it can also be used for identity fraud, phishing, social engineering, and other malicious purposes.
Apart from this, they also have this system where if you invite a friend, they will reward you, from which they can create a network of people and discern their relationships and behavior patterns,โ the expert told Iran International.
"Since people often share their true identities and details when it comes to money, their genuine digital identity could be accessible," he added.
Telegram, founded by Pavel and Nikolai Durov, initially gained popularity for its stance against the Kremlin. But there are doubts about where the servers are located and possible threats as described by Forbes.
"Since its inception, Telegram has been famous for protecting illicit content from authorities, playing the anti-system role. This type of separation can directly affect data security, performance and compliance with regulations of different countries, depending on where the hosting servers are located and how they are managed. In this case, the actual game files and user data will be stored on the RU-CENTER infrastructure in Russia," Tahvili said.
"On the other hand, Telegram's main servers are also located outside the European Union, which has raised concerns about compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Taking into account the large number of end users on both Telegram Messenger like in the game Hamster, Telegram needs powerful servers that can handle and process this large amount of data, so such servers must be located in cold enough climates (such as Siberia) where data centers can use outside air to cool down. "the expert told Iran International. .
Why is the Islamic Republic warning against gambling?
"Storing such a large amount of personal data in a database outside of Iran could raise some concerns for the Iranian government. In fact, other countries could access the personal data of Iranian citizens, which could be used for social engineering purposes." and phishing." Tahvili told Iran International.
The game usually raises major issues such as data security and user data collection. However, the main concern of the Iranian authorities seems to be the high level of public participation, in Tahvili's opinion.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has restricted access to several messaging applications, replacing Telegram with local alternatives, the expert explained. However, domestic messengers have struggled to compete with international messaging apps, largely due to their lack of attractive features and citizens' fears about potential surveillance.
"A leaked version of Telegram has now attracted significant attention in Iran, and the web-based game Hamster has attracted a large number of end users. This online interaction with external applications has attracted a lot of attention and has several million users finals. raises concern for Iranian authorities regarding applications that could be used to bypass censorship and share news," the researcher said.
Why do citizens challenge the authorities' position?
Individuals' motivations for exposing their data and identity may arise from a lack of trust in the governing establishment, particularly in situations of economic hardship when the perceived risk appears minimal. Millions of Iranians have become increasingly poorer since 2018, when the United States imposed sanctions. They see the slightest possibility of making money as a blessing.
Despite government warnings, the financial incentives gambling offers often outweigh cautionary recommendations.
This vulnerability is further exacerbated among those accustomed to living under a dictatorship, who may lack awareness of their privacy rights, making them susceptible targets for such games.
There is a general lack of trust to the point that if authorities issue warnings against a particular activity, the immediate assumption is that they seek exclusive control over it.
On the contrary, if the authorities support the activity, there remains a suspicion that they have ulterior motives related to illicit activities.
What is the international position?
Ukraine has become a prominent state in response to Hamster Kombat.
The Ukrainian government website, specifically the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security (Spravdi), has warned citizens against playing the game.
The concern arises from its Russian domain registration under the RU-CENTER group.
"Given the legal obligations of Russian companies to store user data on servers and disclose it to law enforcement upon request, this situation represents a potential threat to Ukrainians," according to Spravdi's statement, published in May. "Personal data could be vulnerable to exploitation for undisclosed purposes."
What is the Iranian official and media position?
Ironically, Iran's clerical government appears to agree with Ukraine. As the game's popularity grew in Iran, the media also took note and soon authorities, from the police to hardline clerics, began issuing warnings.
On Friday, the spokesperson for Iran's National Center for Cyberspace issued a warning about Hamster Kombat, stating that money-making games have "become an ideal platform for hackers and thieves."
"Players of these games are advised to take extra care in protecting their information and accounts," Hossein Deliriyan wrote on X.
Iran's cyber police It said Saturday that it is assessing threats and damage and will announce the results soon.
hamshahri online, The website of Tehran's municipal newspaper carried opinions from high-ranking clerics, including Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a hardliner who holds one of the highest ranks in Iran's Shiite clerical hierarchy, and Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, Chief of Staff of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on the buying and selling of digital currencies.
Almost all of these clerics, except Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself, explicitly prohibit cryptocurrency trading and related activities, citing that "cryptocurrencies do not have a clear and precise source, and can endanger the country's economy, as well as circumvent the sovereignty and money laundering. , therefore they are prohibited or illegal.โ
Khamenei has only stated that cryptocurrency trading must "comply with the country's official laws on this matter."
Is there an official set of rules?
The legal status of cryptocurrencies in Iran remains a gray area. While there were initial discussions in parliament about a possible ban, it was later clarified that this would only apply to state institutions, leaving the status of the cryptocurrency uncertain for the general public.
The website of the judiciary, Mizan states that โin general, it is not legal to trade cryptocurrencies in Iran, but there is no law that explicitly states that trading cryptocurrencies in Iran is illegal or considered a crime.โ
However, cryptocurrency mining, which involves verifying transactions and generating new tokens, requires "obtaining permission from the government."
However, in 2022, the state Intelligence Ministry reported having blocked more than 9,000 accounts from 454 people used for illegal or undeclared currency exchanges. Based on the exchange rate during that period, the relevant transactions amounted to 600 trillion rials, or approximately $2 billion.
Does the Islamic Republic employ double standards in its approach to cryptocurrencies?
Experts say Iranian government is self-inflicted "Confusing relationship with cryptocurrencies" which makes it easier for the government to evade sanctions while allowing illicit activities.
According to Iranian media reports, major cryptocurrency mining operations are carried out by influential or well-connected networks, along with certain Chinese companies taking advantage of cheap and subsidized electricity at mining facilities established within Iran. Such activities could only have been authorized by Iran's intelligence services and the Revolutionary Guard.
In April, the US Department of the Treasury urged Congress to pass legislation empower the department to intervene in cryptocurrency-based terrorism financing and sanctions evasion methods. During a Senate hearing session, it was revealed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had used cryptocurrencies to finance certain entities.
In 2022, it was revealed that cryptocurrencies exchange giant Binance It processed Iranian transactions totaling $8 billion since 2018, despite US sanctions aimed at isolating Iran from the global financial system.
