Israel’s top cyber official said Tuesday that Iran is stepping up its efforts to harm the country through cyber warfare, even as Israeli defenses continue to block major threats to critical systems and the broader economy.
Yossi Karadi, who leads Israel’s National Cyber Authority, said during a public appearance that the country’s cyber operations are not only protecting infrastructure but also helping secure the nation’s future. “I truly believe we are managing to change our children’s future. I see a better future and I think we deserve it.” He noted that Israeli cyber units have successfully prevented serious damage to essential infrastructure and have thwarted attempts aimed at disrupting economic stability.
He stressed that the digital battle is constant and far from over. “This is a war that is ongoing all the time. It is not over,” he emphasized.
During Operation Roaring Lion, Israel’s Cyber Directorate documented more than 50 cyberattacks targeting the country. According to Karadi, roughly 20 separate hostile groups were behind these operations, involving hundreds of individual hackers.
He disclosed that approximately 50 Israeli companies and organizations were entirely erased in recent cyberattacks carried out by adversaries. Those affected are now working to recover their systems using backup data.
Karadi explained that beyond immediate disruption, attackers are deeply focused on gathering intelligence. He said engineering firms and civilian infrastructure are among the primary targets. “The question is not whether they are collecting information,” he said, “but when that information will mature into an operational purpose and actual use.”
He added that cyber campaigns are also aimed at individuals connected to Israel’s security establishment, defense sector, and academic institutions. In a troubling development, attackers are not limiting their focus to the primary targets but are also going after their family members.
Since the war began, the National Cyber Directorate’s emergency center, accessible via 119, has handled 4,019 reports. About half of those cases involved social engineering attempts. “These are only the reported incidents,” Karadi clarified. “If you want to reach the real numbers, you would need multiples of these statistics. Not everyone reports.”
Among the incidents he cited was an Iranian cyber operation that hijacked digital display boards at Israel Railways stations, broadcasting alarming messages such as “The subway is not safe right now.”
Authorities have also uncovered about 50 attempts by Iran to gain control of surveillance cameras nationwide. Karadi said Iran is working in coordination with Hezbollah in a broader campaign targeting cameras at sensitive sites. “There are even some active incidents that we are dealing with right now,” he said. “To be honest, the enemy has had successes in taking over cameras, but not ones that have strategic impact. Everything happens because of low protection levels and weak passwords.”
Karadi concluded by warning that Iran is investing heavily in shaping a perception of cyber dominance.
“I don’t sleep at night,” he admitted. “We see them trying again and again to attack energy, water facilities, and the financial sector.”
He cautioned that even if fighting on the ground between Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah subsides, cyberattacks will persist. “We have seen this before – on the day after the ceasefire of Operation ‘Rising Lion’ took effect, the number of cyberattacks on Israel doubled. We must be prepared for that this time as well.”
{Matzav.com}