Handala, an Iranian cyber outfit, has claimed to have taken down the Iron Dome missile defence system and breached Israel's radars.
A major cyber attack is believed to have unfolded when the Handala hacking group, which is renowned for targeting Israeli interests, broke through Israel's radar defences and bombarded Israeli citizens with text messages.
The criminal group claimed it had broken into the radar systems and delivered 500,000 text messages to Israeli civilians with an urgent reminder that Israel has a short window of time to fix the breached systems.
Handala's hack on Israel has been extensive, encompassing cyberattacks on radar and Iron Dome missile defence systems. Rada Electronics, a defence technology firm associated with Israel's objectives, reportedly fell prey to Handala's intrusion, with leaked dashboard images purporting to validate the hack.
The Cyber Express, a local media outlet, contacted Rada Electronics to verify the claims of this intrusion. However, as of this writing, no official comment or answer has been issued. Furthermore, a service provider in charge of Israeli consumer alerts and Israel's Cyber Security College allegedly suffered significant data breaches, resulting in terabytes of exposed information.
History of Handala hacker group
As a pro-Palestian outfit, the hackers behind it were inspired by Handala, a key national emblem of the Palestinian people. Naji al-Ali, a political cartoonist, invented the figure Handala in 1969 and it took on its current shape in 1973.
It represents the spirit of Palestinian identity and struggle, which al-Ali frequently depicts in his cartoons. Handala, named after the Citrullus colocynthis plant found in Palestine, represents resilience, with strong roots and bitter fruit that regrows when cut.
Since al-Ali's assassination in 1987, Handala has been a significant symbol of Palestinian identity, displayed frequently on walls and buildings throughout the West Bank, Gaza, and Palestinian refugee camps. It has also been popular as a tattoo and jewellery symbol, and it has been adopted by movements such as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, as well as the Iranian Green Movement, which is now known as the Handala hacker group.
Handala's characteristic posture, with the back turned and hands linked behind, represents a rejection of imposed solutions and sympathy with the marginalised. The character, who continues to be 10 years old, represents al-Ali's age when he left Palestine, and embodies the desire to return to his homeland.
Furthermore, the inspired hacking group claimed several such attacks to preserve its identity as a Palestinian supporter. Although official Israeli sources have yet to validate Handala's claims, security experts in Israel have expressed concerns about the likelihood of Iranian cyberattacks on critical national infrastructure.