Man Indicted for Unprecedented Cyberattacks on Israeli Companies and Individuals

An indictment was filed in the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court against Michael Bar, 43, of Ashkelon, who is accused of carrying out a series of unprecedented cyberattacks. The targets included numerous Israeli companies and private individuals, from whom he allegedly stole business and personal information. The indictment charges Bar with multiple offenses, including unlawful computer intrusion, prohibited software operations, introducing viruses, privacy violations, and theft. Prosecutors are seeking his detention until the legal proceedings conclude.

According to the indictment, from 2019 until his arrest three weeks ago, Bar systematically developed and deployed malicious software, enhanced by artificial intelligence tools, to conduct cyberattacks. He remotely infiltrated the computers of 26 Israeli companies and private individuals, extracting sensitive data. Bar, who previously served as an information security manager for a company in the construction and home design sector, used the malware to maintain continuous remote control over the compromised computers, enabling him to perform various actions remotely.

These actions allowed him to bypass computer defenses, steal sensitive information such as files, passwords, and account access details, take control of users' computers, activate webcams without their knowledge, and monitor their real-time activities. The malware reportedly continued to operate even after the computers were shut down. The indictment details that Bar allegedly captured intimate images of female employees and their minor daughters from their home or hotel computers.

Bar's activities were discovered in April 2026 following an investigation at one of the targeted companies. The investigation suggested a widespread cyberattack on the Israeli economy. When approached by the National Cyber Directorate, under the guise of his role as an information security manager, Bar concealed his involvement and continued his illicit activities, even developing more sophisticated malware and infecting additional companies. Prosecutors highlighted Bar's advanced technological skills, noting his ability to adapt malware for extensive offensive operations, targeting both company workstations and employees' personal computers, from which he collected sensitive personal data and documentation.