According to the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), Hamas hacked into private security camera streams from Israeli homes before launching an attack on Israeli settlements near the Gaza strip on 7 October 2023. Gaby Portnoy, the director general of the INCD, was not surprised by the hacking but was shocked by the extent of the intelligence collected by Hamas.
Using weak and default passwords, Hamas hackers were able to access smart devices in Israeli homes and even alter smart billboard displays along roadsides. While the hacking attacks did not cause physical damage, they had a significant psychological impact. In response to these cyber threats, Israel has passed a law allowing the government to disable vulnerable security cameras during conflicts and has increased efforts to educate the public about the risks associated with smart devices.
Since the conflict began in Gaza, cyber attacks against Israel have tripled, with hackers targeting critical infrastructure and causing disruptions. Portnoy has noted increased collaboration between Iran and Hezbollah in mounting hacking operations against Israel, with the two groups coordinating closely and exchanging capabilities and targets.
Portnoy expressed concerns about Russia potentially supplying offensive cyber capabilities to Iran, leading to further cyber threats. As part of Israel’s response to these escalating cyber threats, the country has developed the Cyber-Dome project to protect critical infrastructure using artificial intelligence and big data for real-time threat detection and mitigation.
Additionally, Israel is focusing on building partnerships with international tech companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to enhance cybersecurity measures. The country is also working to protect supply chains from cyber attacks and is emphasizing collaboration between intelligence agencies and government departments to defend against cyber terrorism and disinformation. Israel is advocating for greater international cooperation to strengthen global cyber defense mechanisms and protect against cyber attacks.