Cyber Chief Warns of AI-Driven 'Technological Earthquake' Threatening Israel

Yossi Kardi, head of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, has issued a stark warning about the accelerating capabilities of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks. He described the current situation as being "in the midst of a technological earthquake," emphasizing the rapid evolution of threats.

Kardi convened a special meeting with leaders of the Israeli cyber industry ahead of Rosh Hashanah to discuss preparations for the coming years. He highlighted that AI tools can now independently perform 28 out of 32 steps in an advanced attack process. In tested scenarios, the time from network infiltration to widespread propagation has been reduced to approximately 27 seconds, with phishing pages creatable in about 30 seconds.

"There are no ceasefires in cyber," Kardi stated, noting that even during Operation Iron Swords, cyberattack volumes doubled. He revealed that since June 2025, Israel has been engaged in a continuous cyber campaign without suffering damage to critical infrastructure. To bolster defenses, the Directorate will establish a special national intervention unit for significant, nationwide cyber incidents.

Furthermore, a multidisciplinary national laboratory is planned to foster collaboration between government, industry, and academia, focusing on AI, cloud, and quantum technologies. Kardi stressed that the speed of machine-driven attacks necessitates a corresponding increase in defensive response times and synergy. "Israel's advantage must be in speed, synergy, and the ability to connect the state and industry in real-time," he urged.

Kardi concluded by emphasizing that defending against large-scale attacks requires broad cooperation. "No single body can defend the State of Israel alone, and in a national event, we will need the entire industry alongside us," he said, calling on the cyber industry to join the national defense effort.