The Israeli National Cyber Defense Authority has reportedly blocked a major cyber-attack against numerous organizations. In an uncustomary press release, the Authority revealed that “evidence has accumulated indicating that a cyber-attack was planned against numerous organizations in the Israeli economy. The attacker impersonated a legitimate organization, sending emails seeming to be on the organization’s behalf, in an attempt to attack 120 organizations, governmental departments, public agencies and private individuals, while forging a security certificate of a reliable company”. Cyber security experts from Israel and the United States estimate that Iran is behind the attack, using a vulnerability in Microsoft Word.
The attack and the National Cyber Defense Authority’s press release come at a time when the members of the Israeli Defense and Intelligence Establishment, including the Mossad (the Israeli Secret Intelligence Service), the Shabak (the Israeli Security Agency), the Israeli Defense Forces and the Israeli Ministry of Defense have all aligned to oppose the government’s proposed Cybersecurity bill. They argue that the bill, as currently drafted, would severely damages the Defense and Intelligence Establishment’s core cybersecurity activities. The chiefs heading the various members of the Israeli Defense and Intelligence Establishment requested that legislation procedures for the bill be suspended immediately and that the bill be replaced with a legislation suitable for Israel’s security needs.