Shin Bet thwarts 200 Iranian cyber attacks against Israelis
'Senior figures in the security establishment, political figures, academics, media figures, journalists, and others' were targeted by a widespread phishing attack
The Shin Bet security agency uncovered 200 cyber attack attempts by Iran against Israelis, according to a statement on Monday.
The targets included public personalities and political figures, the statement said.
A phishing campaign was launched in recent months against citizens, including "senior figures in the security establishment, political figures, academics, media figures, journalists, and others."
Computers belonging to these individuals were hacked, with Iranians seeking personal information to carry out attacks. In recent months, nearly 10 Iranian attempts to recruit Israelis for espionage missions were exposed by Israeli authorities.
The attacks usually began with contacts made over WhatsApp, Telegram, or email, with a cover story provided tailer-made for each victim. Next, the victim was urged to download an application that would install malware or redirect them to a website that claims to be a legitimate service, requiring them to share login details for personal or professional email accounts. Once done, the Iranian attacker would steal the information and gain access to the victim's device.
The Shin Bet followed the developments closely and contacted the citizens targeted, updating and instructing them on preventative behavior.