Israel Becomes Top Target of Iranian Cyber Attacks Amid Gaza War
In the wake of the Gaza war, Israel has become the top target of Iranian cyber attacks, with Microsoft reporting a surge in cyber, influence, and cyber-enabled influence operations against the country. The shift in focus comes after Iran’s primary targets shifted from the United States to Israel, according to a Microsoft report released on Tuesday.
The report highlights the significant increase in Iranian cyber attacks against Israeli companies, with nearly half of the observed operations targeting Israeli firms from October 7, 2023, to July 2024. This is a stark contrast to the pre-war period, when only 10 percent of Iranian cyber attacks targeted Israel, with the majority aimed at American entities and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran’s cyber efforts have also been focused on destabilizing Israel, with the creation of social media accounts such as "Tears of War" and "KarMa". The latter claimed to represent Israelis calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation. Additionally, Iranian services created a Telegram account using the logo of the military wing of Hamas to spread false messages about the hostages in Gaza and threaten Israelis.
Furthermore, the report suggests that Iran has expanded its cyber-enabled influence operations beyond Israel, aiming to undermine international political, military, and economic support for Israel’s military operations. The report also notes that it is unclear if Iran acted with Hamas’s consent in creating the fake Telegram account.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has seen devastating consequences, with the most recent attack on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, and Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza killing 42,289 people, the majority being civilians. The UN has described the figures as reliable.
This development emphasizes the importance of international cooperation to counter the growing threat of cyber attacks and their implications on global security. As the world grapples with this issue, it is essential to remain vigilant and adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of cyber warfare.
