Israeli intelligence discovers 200 Iranian-led cyberattacks against Israeli officials

Israel has exposed some 200 Iranian-led cyberattacks targeting various public Israeli officials, Shin Bet, Israel’s internal intelligence agency, revealed on Monday. 

"The Shin Bet uncovered an Iranian phishing campaign aimed at Israeli citizens, some senior members of the security echelons, politicians, members of academia, journalists and others," the security agency announced in an official statement. 

"The aim of the Iranian campaign was to get access to computerized media systems: e-mail, computers, smartphones of Israelis the Iranians planned to attack, in order to access personal information such as home addresses, contacts and places where they regularly stay."

The collected information is then used by Iran "to attack Israeli officials using enlisted operatives. Nine such local cells enlisted by Iran to carry out missions on its behalf, were discovered in recent months," the security agency added.

A Shin Bet official stressed that the latest campaign was only one of many Iranian attempts to harm Israel and individual Israelis. 

"This is an additional significant threat from Iran aimed at carrying out attacks and assassinations," the official assessed. "We ask for increased alert because such cyber strikes can be avoided by proper awareness, and cautious behavior online,” the official added. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran openly calls for the destruction of Israel and has over the years built a ring of fire, consisting of terrorist proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah along Israel’s borders. Furthermore, the Iranian ayatollah regime has stepped up its efforts to recruit Jewish and Arab Israelis to spy on the Jewish state on behalf of Tehran.

In October, Israeli authorities arrested seven Israeli Jews suspected of spying for Iran against Israel stated IDF Lt.-Gen. Yaron Binyamin, who heads the Lehav 433’s Security Division.

“This is one of the most serious incidents ever investigated," Binyamin said. "We probably have too many people like that in Israel and it's very disturbing,” he added. The incident took place shortly after Israeli authorities arrested two other Israelis who had reportedly been recruited by the Iranian regime to assassinate senior Israeli leaders. 

“Many fictitious Iranian profiles were located and monitored on the networks, and information was collected about those behind their activation… This investigation reveals, once again, the efforts of the Iranian intelligence agencies to recruit and exploit Israeli citizens in order to promote espionage and terrorist activity in Israel,” a senior Shin Bet official assessed. 

In September, Israeli authorities arrested Moti Maman, a 73-year-old Israeli Jewish businessman who was reportedly recruited by Iran in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. 

At the time, Shin Bet emphasized that Iran continues to target Israel and Israel's leaders. 

“This is a very serious affair and is an example of the tremendous efforts of Iranian intelligence officials to recruit Israeli citizens to promote terrorist activities in Israel. The assessment of security officials is that the Iranians will continue their efforts to recruit operatives in Israel for the purpose of gathering intelligence and carrying out terrorist missions in Israel, while also turning to elements with criminal backgrounds in order to carry out the missions,” a Shin Bet official stated.