Israeli firm allegedly trained Qatari military in offensive cyber capabilities, report reveals

An Israeli cybersecurity firm, operating under multiple brand names including Blue Skies World (BSW), CyberProAi, and Soteria, has been providing cyber training services to the Qatari military since 2017, an investigative report said.

While the Ra'anana-based company publicly asserts that its operations are limited strictly to defensive cybersecurity training, sources interviewed by The Marker — including individuals with direct knowledge of the program in Qatar — allege that the training extended to offensive cyber capabilities, including the use of cyberweapon tools, Caliber.Az reports.

Hundreds of Qatari military personnel are reported to have undergone training through the company’s cybersecurity system over the past several years, raising concerns over the scope and strategic implications of the instruction provided.

The leadership of the BSW Group includes several prominent former Israeli military and intelligence officials. Among them are former IDF Army Chief and former Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, former head of Technology Branch of Mossad Hagai Itkin, and Major General in the IDF and head of the Digital and Cybersecurity Directorate Lior Carmeli. Their involvement lends significant weight and credibility to the company’s operations in the cybersecurity domain.

In response to the allegations, BSW Group officials maintained that the company’s “global cybersecurity activities focus exclusively on defence, training and preparedness,” further emphasizing that “all of its activities are conducted under applicable laws and with strict adherence to full transparency.”

Nevertheless, the revelations are likely to prompt scrutiny both within Israel and abroad, particularly given Qatar’s geopolitical positioning and the sensitivity surrounding the export of advanced cyber training. The dual-use nature of cybersecurity tools — easily applied to both defence and offence — complicates regulatory oversight and raises ethical questions about the dissemination of such expertise.

By Vafa Guliyeva