Cyberattack Targeting Israel Defense Industries Thwarted

Israel’s Defense Establishment thwarted a cyberattack on Wednesday that targeted various Israeli defense companies, according to a statement from the Defense Ministry.

The attempted cyberattack was conducted by an international cyber group called “Lazarus,” an organization backed by a foreign country. An ongoing investigation has revealed that members of the group used various hacking techniques. They targeted companies in the hi-tech sector by building fake profiles on the social media platform Linkedin.

The hackers impersonated CEOs and leading officials in human resources departments and lured employees of leading defense companies in Israel with tempting job offers and business opportunities. The purpose of the hacking scheme was to compromise the computers of these employees by sending corrupted files hidden as job offers and eventually gathering sensitive information. The hackers also attempted to use the official websites of several companies in order to hack their systems.

The cyberattacks were identified in real time and were thwarted by the Defense Establishment’s tech unit. No harm or disruption was made to the networks targeted, the Defense Ministry said.

The Directorate of Security has launched an investigation and operational activity together with the defense industries and other security bodies, following this attempted breach.

The Directorate of Security for the Defense Establishment said that it will continue its work in thwarting attempts to breach the networks of Israeli defense industries, and any attempts to harm the technological capabilities and assets of the State of Israel.