Cyberattacks against Israel surge 700% in two days, says Radware
According to the cybersecurity giant, the two days since June 12 have seen an “unprecedented wave” of malicious network activity targeting Israeli infrastructure.
There has been a 700% increase in cyberattacks against Israel in the two days following June 12 and the start of Israel's strikes on Iran, compared to the period immediately before, according to a new report from cybersecurity giant Radware. The data indicates a sharp escalation in malicious network activity targeting Israeli infrastructure.
"We are witnessing an unprecedented wave of cyber attacks directed against Israel," said Ron Meyran, VP of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Radware.
"The 700% surge in malicious activity within just two days stems from cyber retaliation operations by Iranian state actors and pro-Iranian hacker groups, including DDoS attacks, infiltration attempts targeting critical infrastructure, data theft, and malware distribution campaigns," Meyran continued.
The attacks span a wide range of targets, including government websites, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and critical infrastructure. Radware reports a significant rise in both attempted intrusions into organizational networks, as well as attacks aimed at disrupting essential digital services.
Following the public disclosure of Israel’s recent military operation, Radware observed increased activity from Iran-aligned threat actors on both public and private Telegram channels. In one example, a message from an entity calling itself #OpIsrael was shared on the Cyber-Bulletin channel, referencing attacks on Israel’s Red Alert (Tzeva Adom) system, which notifies civilians of incoming missile strikes.
Hacktivist group Arabian Ghost claimed to have shut down Israeli radio stations, while several other groups issued threats or claimed cyberattacks against Israeli entities, including one that said it had taken down the Mossad’s website.
Meanwhile, another hacktivist group, Mysterious Team Bangladesh, issued a warning to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, stating that if they support Israel, their own national infrastructure could be targeted.
Radware warns that Iranian state-sponsored cyber groups are expected to continue intensifying their operations as they attempt to disrupt infrastructure and to exert psychological pressure.
"The potential implications of this wave of attacks are severe," said Meyran.
"Israeli organizations must keep an eye on the cyber arena as well, sharpen procedures for employees – especially considering that most are working from home – and enhance internal organizational security.
"We recommend implementing multi-layered security solutions and continuous monitoring of network traffic to detect and thwart threats in real-time."
