The threat actors tried to bait targets into downloading infected apps that would give them access to victim devices and leak personal data like location history and residential addresses.
Iran Targeting Israeli Officials
The targeted senior officials include academicians, politicians, media professionals, and others
ShinBet said the stolen information would be used by Iran to launch attacks against Israeli nationals “through Israeli cells they have recruited within the country.” The targets were reached out with an “individually tailored cover story for each victim according to their area of work, so the approach doesn’t seem suspicious.”
In one case, the attacker disguised as a Cabinet Secretary lured the target saying he wanted to coordinate with PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Shin Bet has tracked the targets involved in the campaign and informed them about the phishing attempts.
“This is another significant threat in the campaign Iran is waging against Israel, aimed at carrying out assassination attacks. We request heightened awareness, as cyberattacks of this type can be avoided before they happen through awareness, caution, suspicion, and proper preventative behavior online,” said a Shin Bet official.
Reasons for attack
Shin Bet “will continue to act to identify Iranian activity and thwart it in advance.” It believes the motive behind the attacks was to manage future attacks on Israeli nationals using information given by Israeli cells recruited by Iran. The campaign is a sign of an escalation between Iran and Israel, the end goal being assassination attempts.
The bigger picture
The recent discovery of phishing campaigns is part of larger targeted campaigns against Israel. In September 2024, 7 Jewish Israelis were arrested for allegedly spying on IDF and Israeli security figures for Iran.
The Times of Israel reports, “Also in September, a man from the southern city of Ashkelon was arrested on allegations that he was smuggled into Iran twice, received payment to carry out missions on behalf of Tehran, and was recruited to assassinate either Israel’s prime minister, defense minister, or the head of the Shin Bet.”
