Israel’s Cyber Defense Chief Warns of Escalation in Conflict as Iran Launches 300 Drones and Missiles, Amid Increase in Cyber Attacks

In the weeks leading up to Iran’s recent attack on Israel with over 300 drones and missiles, concerns were raised by Tel Aviv’s cyber defense chief, Gaby Portnoy, about the escalation of conflict in cyberspace. The National Cyber Directorate of Israel reported a significant increase in cyber attacks following the Hamas-led massacre, with 3,380 incidents recorded in the first three months alone, 2.5 times higher than previous years.

Many of these attacks were attributed to Tehran and its allies, particularly Hezbollah. Among these incidents, 800 hacking attacks were deemed to have significant potential for harm, targeting government organizations, military, and civilian infrastructure. Portnoy noted that Iranian and Hezbollah groups were working together to launch attacks on Israel across various sectors.

Despite Israel’s advanced capabilities in cybersecurity, some attacks have been successful. For instance, hackers linked to Iran claimed to have breached Israeli radar systems prior to the attack