Israeli Cyber Unit Warns of Iranian Phishing Attacks Targeting Journalists

The Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the National Cyber Directorate issued a warning on Sunday about a recent surge in phishing attempts by Iranian intelligence targeting Israeli journalists and media professionals. These attacks aim to gather sensitive information related to recent political and security developments. The cyber units have detected and are actively working to prevent and thwart these attempts.

The phishing campaigns primarily use WhatsApp and Telegram to impersonate familiar contacts, sending personalized messages tailored to the recipients' professional interests, such as collaboration offers or interview invitations. The messages attempt to establish trust and lure targets into clicking links that lead to fake login pages requesting Google account credentials or to malicious files that could compromise their mobile devices. Sometimes attackers impersonate well-known journalists, including an attempt involving the identity of journalist Barak Ravid.

Officials estimate that Iranian intelligence seeks to access journalistic sources, work materials, communications, and other information that could be exploited for terrorism, espionage, intelligence gathering, and influence operations. The cyber units caution that similar efforts are directed at other sectors involved in political, public, governmental, and security activities, urging heightened vigilance.

The National Cyber Directorate recommended several protective measures: verifying the identity of contacts through alternative communication channels, especially when receiving unexpected messages with links or requests for personal information; never entering passwords or verification codes via message links; enabling two-factor authentication on key accounts, particularly Google and WhatsApp; regularly reviewing account access and removing unfamiliar devices; and promptly reporting suspicious attempts to organizational security teams and the National Cyber Directorate's hotline 119.