Israel's Cyber Chief Calls for Defense Sector Overhaul Amid AI Threats

Yossi Karaadi, head of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, convened leaders from the Israeli cyber industry for a meeting ahead of Rosh Hashanah. He outlined the nation's cyber defense strategy for the coming years, emphasizing the escalating threat posed by artificial intelligence's capacity for autonomous attacks. Karaadi stated that Israel has been engaged in a continuous cyber campaign since June 2025, during which critical infrastructure has remained unharmed. He stressed that cyber warfare knows no ceasefires, noting a doubling of attacks even on the final day of Operation "Shagat ha-Ari." Karaadi asserted that no single entity can defend Israel alone, and a major national incident would necessitate the entire industry's involvement.

To address these challenges, Karaadi announced the formation of a specialized national response team for significant, state-level cyber incidents. Additionally, a multidisciplinary national laboratory is being established to foster collaboration between government, industry, and academia in areas such as AI, cloud computing, and quantum computing. Avraham Zaruk, head of the directorate's technology division, presented data indicating a rapid acceleration of cyber threats, with the time from network penetration to spread shrinking to approximately 27 seconds in tested scenarios. He also noted that phishing pages can now be created in about 30 seconds, and AI-powered tools can autonomously complete 28 out of 32 stages in advanced attack simulations. "The attacker is already operating at machine speed," Karaadi warned.

Karaadi declared that Israel's future advantage must stem from speed, synergy, and the real-time connection between the state and its industries. He urged the cyber sector to actively participate in national defense efforts.