Networks of over 30 Israeli companies breached by 'Iranian hackers'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
11 Sep 2023 23:56
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The ESET cybersecurity firm, choosing not to reveal the identities of the targeted companies, stated that the alleged Iranian hackers also infiltrated a Brazilian company and one in the UAE.

Illustrative purposes: Man types on a computer. (AP)

According to a report by "Israel's" Ynetnews website, information security company ESET found that Iranian hackers exploited a known vulnerability in the corporate email servers of 32 Israeli companies to gain access to their networks.

The cybersecurity firm, choosing not to reveal the identities of the targeted companies, stated that the alleged Iranian hackers also infiltrated a Brazilian company and one in the UAE.

As per the report, the compromised companies span various industries, encompassing sectors such as insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, technology, retail, automotive, legal services, financial services, as well as architecture and civil engineering.

Ynetnews reported that the hacking group, self-identifying as Ballistic Bobcat, also operates under various aliases, such as Charming Kitten, TA543, PHOSPHORUS, APT35, and APT42. The report indicated that a minimum of 16 additional companies experienced security breaches by secondary attackers.

The Israeli regime has, on numerous occasions, taken actions against Iran, either directly or by supporting and encouraging the individuals or groups responsible for such actions.

As far back as 2012, The Washington Post reported that the US National Security Agency (NSA), in collaboration with the CIA and "Israel's" military, had cooperated in launching malware known as Stuxnet against Iran's nuclear facilities.

In response, Iranian hacking groups are believed to have carried out operations targeting Israeli interests.

In late 2020, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz claimed that a group of highly skilled hackers, described as Iranians, had penetrated as deeply as the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a major aerospace company within the Israeli occupation.