Israel uncovers over 200 Iranian cyberattacks targeting senior officials

The Israeli Shin Bet security service revealed that it had uncovered more than 200 Iranian phishing attempts aimed at acquiring personal information from senior Israeli figures, including defense officials, politicians, journalists, and academics.

These cyberattacks were designed to gather sensitive details to facilitate future attacks on the individuals targeted, Caliber.Az reports citing Israeli media.

The phishing attempts occurred through WhatsApp, Telegram, and email, with hackers attempting to convince the targets to download an app that would grant access to their devices, allowing the hackers to collect personal data such as home addresses and frequent locations. 

The information was intended to be used by Iran to coordinate attacks against these individuals, potentially through Israeli cells recruited by Tehran.

The Shin Bet reported that the attacks were highly tailored to each target's profession, with hackers using convincing cover stories to avoid suspicion. One such example involved a hacker posing as Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, claiming to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The agency has briefed the affected individuals and emphasized the importance of heightened awareness to prevent such cyberattacks. The Shin Bet warned that these phishing attempts could be thwarted with caution and online vigilance, and reaffirmed its commitment, alongside other Israeli security agencies, to counter Iranian activities in the region.

This disclosure follows a series of earlier revelations by the Shin Bet, including the arrests of seven Jewish Israelis in September for allegedly spying for Iran and plotting to gather intelligence on Israeli security figures. Additionally, in the same month, a man from Ashkelon was arrested on charges of being recruited by Iran to assassinate high-ranking Israeli officials, including the prime minister, defense minister, or head of the Shin Bet.

By Vafa Guliyeva