Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Israel to boost supervision of telecom companies to stop hacking attempts

New cyber-security czar Gaby Portnoy said a spike in the number of cyber attacks occurred in the last few weeks.

Hacking, Internet, Data, Cyber Security
Data graphic. Credit: Pixabay.

Israel’s government ordered firms on Monday to increase their cyber-security systems due to an uptick in hacking and attempts to hack national systems.

New cyber-security czar Gaby Portnoy said a spike in the number of such attacks occurred in the last few weeks, reported Reuters.

Portnoy said regulations are being put into place to unify standards and increase the level of supervision of telecom companies throughout the Jewish state.

He also accused Iranians of being behind many of the incidents.

Israeli Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel said “we are trying to put the right standard on communication companies in order to protect Israel and create a kind of ‘Iron Dome’ from cyber-security attacks. We are suffering from thousands of cyber attacks every year.”

“When journalists make these requests, they’re really made on behalf of the public, not to bury the issue and respond 11 months later,” Randy Mastro, a former deputy New York City mayor, told JNS.
“Under any Republican administration, Israelis are never going to be sanctioned for simply advocating against aid to Hamas or advocating against illegal Palestinian construction,” Eugene Kontorovich, a law professor, told JNS.
The USAID Inspector General’s office is “also working to prevent Hamas-linked staff from jumping to other aid organizations operating in Gaza,” a senior Trump admin official told JNS.
“Regardless of how it is ultimately classified, incidents like this send shockwaves through the Jewish community,” Rabbi Noah Farkas of Jewish Federation Los Angeles told JNS.
Prosecutors said the man caused damage to both facilities before sending texts boasting about the vandalism.
Despite Israeli objections to previously reported terms, the official said Washington is confident that all U.S. allies “will get on board” with the emerging agreement.