Jerusalem [Israel], December 3: The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed on Monday that it had uncovered approximately 200 Iranian cyberattack attempts targeting Israeli civilians, including high-profile individuals. The attacks aimed to access sensitive personal information such as home addresses, social connections, and frequented locations.
A Shin Bet official described the cyberattacks as part of a broader Iranian campaign against Israel, aimed at enabling assassination plots through local operatives. Authorities have thwarted nine such attempts in recent months, where Israelis were recruited by Iranian agents to execute missions within the country.
The Shin Bet warned that Iranian operatives typically engage their targets through platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or email, using elaborate cover stories. Victims are often persuaded to download applications that install malware or are directed to fake websites where they unknowingly provide login credentials. These credentials grant hackers access to personal emails or computer systems, potentially compromising sensitive data.
Upon detecting the cyber campaign, the Shin Bet immediately alerted the targeted individuals to mitigate the risks.
In October, authorities disrupted a series of Iranian-linked plots, including an Israeli man spying on a nuclear scientist targeted for assassination, a couple gathering intelligence on critical infrastructure, and a plan to assassinate a prominent city mayor and an academic.
The Shin Bet emphasized the growing sophistication of Iran’s cyber operations and its escalating efforts to use these tactics for real-world attacks, underscoring the urgent need for vigilance in countering such threats.
