Former Hamat Security Manager Charged with Hundreds of Cybercrimes

A former information security manager at the Hamat Group, Mickey Bar, has been indicted on hundreds of cyber offenses, including hacking into the computers of 26 companies and two kibbutzim. The state alleges that Bar developed malicious software, including Windows and Wesearch malware, using artificial intelligence to gain unauthorized access and control over victims' computers. These programs enabled him to collect sensitive information, record keystrokes and user activity in real-time, spread through organizational systems, damage defense mechanisms, alter operating systems, and even search for crypto wallets.

According to the indictment filed at the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court, Bar's primary motive for these intrusions between February and August of this year was to track women, including minors, within their homes. He allegedly captured images and documented their activities, sometimes including business dealings, and in some cases, intimate details of women and underage girls. The state attributes hundreds of charges to him, including illegal software operations, computer intrusion, virus insertion, privacy violations, theft, and illegal software activities.

The Hamat Group has stated that the alleged actions are unrelated to the company's operations and were part of the employee's private activities. The indictment details that Bar performed approximately 2,400 operations using the Windows malware and 1,300 operations with the Wesearch malware. The National Cyber Directorate had previously contacted Bar due to concerns that Hamat might be among the attacked entities, unaware of his involvement, which reportedly led him to develop the more sophisticated Wesearch malware.

Evidence against Bar includes the malware found on his computer, links to servers he used, thousands of stolen files, communications from attacked companies and victims, and Bar's own admissions to many of the charges. The state is seeking his detention until the end of legal proceedings, citing the severity and scope of his alleged cybercrimes, which caused an estimated 1.5 million shekels in damages to the affected companies between 2019 and 2026.