Iranian Hackers Breach Israeli Nuclear Scientists' Data

Iranian Hackers Breach Israeli Nuclear Scientists' Data
Repeated cyber attacks on Israeli nuclear institutions indicate the conflict between the two countries is moving to new fronts
November 13, 2024, 9:32 pm

إسرائيل وإيران

The Israel Atomic Energy Commission revealed that its nuclear centers were subject to a large-scale cyber breach carried out by a hacker group likely linked to Iranian intelligence, leading to the leak of sensitive information about senior Israeli scientists and officials.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office, quoting the Commission in a statement, emphasized that a detailed examination of the leaked materials showed that the published images and maps have no connection to Israeli facilities, while noting that the leaked screenshots contain "technical materials related to the particle accelerator project at the Sorek Nuclear Research Center."

According to the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz," the hacker group succeeded in accessing personal information of a nuclear scientist who worked at the "Sorek" center, publishing images of his passport, along with names of other nuclear scientists involved in the particle accelerator project. They also leaked photos and documents belonging to a former director-general at the Ministry of Defense.

The newspaper indicated that the breach, which occurred in March, also included leaking personal information concerning a current ambassador and former military attaché in the United States, along with sensitive information about families of prominent Israeli officials, as the hackers managed to access government email servers, including servers belonging to the Atomic Energy Commission.

The leaked materials included about 30 photos believed to be taken from the nuclear scientist's phone or personal email, related to his activities as a radiation safety expert, along with several images of computer systems for the SARAF particle accelerator project revealing names of other nuclear scientists.

These leaks coincided with Israeli authorities announcing the arrest of dozens of Israelis in recent months on charges of cooperating with Iranian intelligence agencies, aiming to target senior Israeli officials, including a nuclear scientist. Observers note that assassinating an Israeli scientist, even if working in non-military nuclear research, would represent "a major psychological victory for Iran."

In a notable development, the National Cyber Security Authority and Israel Security Agency "Shabak" have maintained silence regarding these developments, while the hacker group continues to systematically leak sensitive personal information about current and former Israeli military and government officials for several months.

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