Shin Bet Uncovers New Wave of Iranian Cyberattacks Targeting Israeli Journalists

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the National Cyber Directorate have identified a recent surge in phishing attempts by Iranian intelligence targeting Israeli journalists and media professionals. These cyberattacks aim to gather information related to recent political and security developments in Israel. The attackers primarily use WhatsApp and Telegram to impersonate familiar contacts, including other journalists, sending tailored messages that offer interviews, collaborations, or requests for conversations.

Victims are encouraged to click on links that lead to fake login pages requesting Google account credentials or to malicious files that can compromise their mobile devices. The goal is to gain access to journalistic sources, work materials, communications, and other sensitive information. The cyber efforts also extend to individuals in political, public, governmental, and security sectors.

The National Cyber Directorate advises verifying the identity of unexpected contacts through alternative communication channels, avoiding entering passwords or verification codes after clicking links, enabling two-factor authentication on key accounts such as Google and WhatsApp, and regularly reviewing account connections to remove unfamiliar devices. Suspicious attempts should be reported to organizational security teams and the National Cyber Directorate's hotline (119).