Huge number of Iranian cyber attacks against 'Israel': Official
4 Min Read
Referring to dozens of alleged Iranian cyber attacks, an Israeli security official says there is a failure of a security organization.
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This Feb 23, 2019, file photo shows the inside of a computer.
Mossad head David Barnea said on Thursday that Iran continues to operate against "Israel" on a daily basis and is hiding secret intentions from the world over its supply of weapons to Russia.
During his speech at a Mossad event in occupied Al-Quds, Barnea said the Mossad was "still warning about Iran’s future and intentions, which it is trying to keep secret," claiming that Iran was working to "deepen and expand the supply of advanced weapons to Russia."
"We are warning about Iran’s intention to expand its uranium enrichment program, and its intention to increase its influence over friendly Muslim countries in the region in various ways," the Israeli intelligence official said.
The Mossad head also criticized Western leaders for seeking to sign a nuclear agreement, which he called "absurd", with Iran.
"Is this the country that the free world wants to sign any agreement with?" Barnea said, adding that "Our eyes will remain open, we will be doubly alert."
"I repeat my promise, as I said here last year as well, that Iran will not have nuclear weapons… never. This is my commitment, this is the institution’s commitment," he concluded.
Barnea has been one of the fiercest opposers of the nuclear deal with Iran, pressuring the United States against signing an agreement, and warning that Mossad would continue to carry out operations in Iran regardless if a deal was concluded.
On Thursday, the White House announced that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Israeli occupation Security Advisor Eyal Hulata held a virtual meeting on the growing military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran, in the context of the Ukraine war.
In an official statement, the White House said the two sides discussed "Iran’s growing military relationship with Russia, including the transfer of weapons the Kremlin is deploying against Ukraine, targeting its civilian infrastructure, and Russia’s provision of military technology to Iran in return."
Read more: Israeli media: Mobile phone of Mossad chief wife hacked
Dozens of alleged Iranian cyber attacks against "Israel"
In a related context, Gaby Portnoy, Director General of the so-called "Israel National Cyber Directorate" (INCD), said on Thursday he was stunned by the huge number of alleged Iranian cyber attacks against "Israel" in recent months.
"We are dealing with dozens of attacks a month from the Iranian side," Portnoy told Kan Reshet Bet, claiming that "we are thwarting the major threats, so they are not achieving anything."
The Israeli official revealed that Iranian hackers have reportedly leaked Israeli security footage numerous times, including ones from last month's operation at bus stations in occupied Al-Quds, blaming weak passwords for the leaks.
"If you don't change the password when you get the camera, the hacker has to overcome [a password of] 0000 or 1234, it's not a big effort," he said.
Portnoy considered that "Here there is a failure of a security organization, they did not do the minimum required, but no more should be made of it than it is."
It is noteworthy that in late January, an Iranian hacker group going by the name of "Moses Staff" hacked into the Israeli closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) on occupied Palestinian streets.
The group posted a video on its Telegram channel showing the hacking and wrote "We see with our eyes and have been surveilling you for many years, at every moment and on every step."
The group added that the hacking constitutes "one part" only of its surveillance of Israeli activities through access to CCTV cameras.
The hacker group warned the Israelis that it would "strike when they never would have imagined."
