The geopolitics behind the routes data travels: a case study of Iran

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1911.07723
• Publication Date: 2019-01-01
• Authors: Loqman Salamatian; Frédérick Douzet; Kévin Limonier; Kavé Salamatian
• Keywords: Geopolitics; Border Gateway Protocol; Gateway (web page); Position (finance)

The global expansion of the Internet has brought many challenges to geopolitics. Cyberspace is a space strategic priority for states. Understanding and representing its geography remains an ongoing challenge. Nevertheless, we need comprehend as organized by humans analyse strategies actors. This requires multidisciplinary dialogue associating geopolitics, computer science mathematics. represented three superposed interacting layers: physical, logical, informational layers. paper focuses on logical layer through analysis structure connectivity Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). protocol determines routes taken data. It been leveraged countries control flow information, block access contents (going up full disruption internet) or active purposes such hijacking traffic attacking infrastructures. Several have opted BGP strategy. goal this study characterize these strategies, link them current architectures understand their resilience in times crisis. Our hypothesis that there are connections between network architecture shaped BGP, strategy stakeholders at national level. We chose focus case Iran because, presents interesting holds central position Middle East. Moreover, center several geopolitical rifts. observations make it possible infer ways which could used achieve goals: pursuit self-sustaining with controlled borders; will set Iranian Intranet facilitate censorship; leverage tool regional influence.