Cyberattack

Iran’s expanding use of AI in influence operations is reshaping how it targets Israel and Western countries, raising concerns about the future of cyber and information warfare.

In an age of AI warfare and online manipulation, Israel’s next line of defense is a cyber-literate public.

Iranian media reported the arrest of an alleged Mossad affiliate amid expanding protests, internet disruptions, campus raids, and growing chants against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The Israeli company says it can map malware that bypassed other tools and stop attacks from spreading to industrial controllers, without agents or connectivity.

In recent years, Handala has frequently published claims on social media about hacking, obtaining sensitive information, and possessing embarrassing materials, mainly against Israeli targets.

A former Israeli cybersecurity company employee admitted he was a part of a years-long scheme along with two others targeting businesses across the US.

Cyber group Handala claimed to have acquired the names of engineers involved in Israel’s drone programs, a day after threatening Israeli politicians.

"We cannot mislead ourselves" into thinking that, because Israel has been strong in cyber defense to date, the country can sit on its laurels," Dagan said.

The telecommunication and transportation sectors are targeted significantly more than the global average amid new security vulnerabilities fuelled by AI use.

The digital front is fast becoming one of the most vulnerable points in democracy. “During an election year, the threat intensifies and may endanger the democratic process itself,” Englman said.