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Israel under cyber attack – hackers reveal information about nuclear scientists and officials

by November 11, 2024

The hacker group “Handala” published personal photos and documents. (Photo: Screenshot)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

Last week, hackers released about 30 images purporting to be from the Soreq Nuclear Research Center.

A group of hackers “believed to be linked to Iranian intelligence” have leaked the personal information of an Israeli nuclear scientist and a former senior defense official, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

In addition to the nuclear scientist’s revelation, the hackers released “personal photos and documents allegedly obtained by accessing the accounts of several senior Israeli officials,” the newspaper reported Monday.

The targets included “a former major general who previously led the military’s cyber operations before serving as director general of the Defense Department.” His passport photo was released, with the hackers threatening to “release their entire cache of documents in the future.”

The paper said the group claimed in March to have stolen data from the Negev Nuclear Research Center in Dimona, “apparently through a breach of government email servers, including those of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission.”

SARAF particle accelerator project

Last week, hackers released about 30 images purporting to be from the Soreq Nuclear Research Center. However, Haaretz said: “A careful analysis shows that these photos were taken neither in Soreq nor in Dimona.” Rather, they appeared to have been retrieved from the nuclear scientist’s cell phone or email account.

“The leaked materials included several screenshots of computer systems, apparently from the SARAF particle accelerator project in which the scientist was involved, and revealed the names of additional nuclear scientists,” the paper said.

The Israel Atomic Energy Commission denied that the leaked photos were from Israeli nuclear facilities, while the National Cyber ​​Directorate declined to comment and the Shin Bet security service also did not respond, the newspaper added.

The hackers also leaked personal material “belonging to a current Israeli ambassador and a former military attaché to the United States, as well as information about family members of senior Israeli officials.”

“Unprecedented increase”

Since last October, Israel has faced “an unprecedented rise in cyberattacks of varying sophistication,” Haaretz said.

In recent months there has been a “widespread distribution of stolen data” from various government departments and state institutions, including the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense and nuclear research centers.

A parallel war – International hackers are targeting sensitive Israeli databases

The paper also noted that other hacking groups have “set up a dedicated blockchain-based website to publish leaks from sensitive Israeli databases,” with thousands of documents already appearing on that platform.

“Due to the decentralized technology,” the documents “cannot be removed from the Internet.”

The paper said that in recent months “dozens of Israelis” have been indicted for allegedly “acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence and targeting senior Israeli officials, including a nuclear scientist.”

“While any connection between these arrests and the current leak remains unclear, successfully targeting an Israeli scientist – even one involved in civilian nuclear research – would be a significant psychological victory for Iran,” Haaretz said.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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