The Israel National Cyber Directorate published a report that indicates a significant increase in cyber attacks against the Jewish State.
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According to the report published on Sunday, the attacks follow a progressive pattern. Initially, during the early stages of the war, the attacks were simple and not sophisticated, focusing on site destruction, espionage and information theft.
Over time, they evolved into more targeted attacks aimed at causing tangible disruption and widespread damage. The method involves concentrating on companies considered part of the supply chain for various organizations in the industry, causing a ripple effect on other entities.
The report identifies about 15 main groups behind these attacks, associated with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. These groups are characterized by their use of malicious software that erases data from computers. Additionally, they employ psychological warfare through social media networks as a means to amplify the impact of the attacks. This includes influence operations on social networks, support through various channels, impersonation profiles, or disseminating false information to manipulate public opinion. Some groups share intelligence, methods and tools with each other.
The attack patterns described in the report are similar to those observed in other global events, such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Among the attackers' key objectives are security cameras and networks, to disrupt their security capabilities and gather intelligence from the monitored areas. The attackers also attempt to encourage anti-Israeli activists to participate in offensive activities against Israel by providing them with targets or simple tools for execution.
The major sectors targeted by the attackers include the technological sector, such as hosting and website storage companies, as well as the health, academic, transportation, maritime shipping and energy sectors. These entities are particularly sought after by cyber attackers because they often provide services, such as shared applications, that span across different sectors.