Israel’s security forces have so far this year thwarted 85 cyberattacks against citizens, including senior defense officials, politicians, academia and the media, the Israel Security Agency stated on Thursday.
According to the ISA, the goal of the phishing attempts was to gather personal information, including home addresses, relationships and frequented locations. The data was intended to be used by Iranian-backed terrorists to carry out attacks against high-profile Israelis.
Iranian operatives typically made contact via messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram, or email, using a personalized cover story for each target, aligned with their field of work to avoid raising suspicion.
While the attack methods varied, a common tactic involved sending a fake link to a Google Meet session, prompting the target to enter their username and password. By accessing the victim’s Google account, Tehran sought to retrieve emails, passwords for other services, device location data, cloud-stored photos and additional sensitive information.
Other methods included fake applications disguised as legitimate ones, as well as getting the target to download files, often under the pretense of reading or approving a document, which then installed spyware.
“We are witnessing persistent efforts by hostile elements as part of Iran’s campaign against Israel, aiming to harm individuals,” a Shin Bet official said, urging the Israeli public to “remain vigilant and cautious.”
“Many of these cyberattacks can be prevented in advance through awareness, suspicion and proper online behavior—especially by avoiding clicking on unfamiliar links,” the official added.
In recent years, the Islamic Republic is increasingly adopting a faster, cheaper yet effective approach to espionage: recruiting Israeli citizens using little more than a Telegram message and a promise of quick cash.
In April, An 18-year-old Israeli from the central city of Yavne has been arrested on suspicion of accepting Iranian orders to collect intelligence on the security detail of former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, the Shin Bet and Israel Police revealed earlier this month.
The suspect, identified as Moshe Atias, was arrested on charges of national security offenses after collecting intelligence outside the cardiac unit of Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba during the former premier’s cardiac catheterization, according to a joint statement.
Israel’s Kan News broadcaster noted that the arrest of Atias marked the 19th high-profile espionage case in the Jewish state involving Tehran.
Last month, the Tel Aviv District Court sentenced Moti Maman, 73, to 10 years in prison after convicting him of contact with a foreign agent and unlawful entry into an enemy state.
Maman admitted that he had twice entered Iran, where he met with regime intelligence agents to discuss conducting terrorist activity including the assassination of senior Israeli officials.