CyberDome drill highlights growing digital threats to Israel’s national systems

More than 120 Israeli specialists from the military’s two cyber units participated in the CyberDome exercise in the U.S., training together, “keyboard to keyboard, shoulder to shoulder,” against various threats, the IDF said.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Dozens of cyberattacks targeting Israel’s “national systems” have been blocked over the past two years of war, the Israel Defense Forces’ cyber chief said.

Maj. Gen. Aviad Dagan — who oversees the IDF’s Cyber Defense Directorate and C4I Corps — was commenting on the annual joint CyberDome exercise with the US Cyber National Mission Force, which concluded on Thursday.

“Behind every overt campaign, there is also a covert one. We operate together with United States Cyber Command tirelessly to ensure superiority against any threat, from any direction,” Dagan said.

“The events published thus far do not fully represent the cyberthreat. We must not make a mistake. This is an issue that is at the very heart of our national security,” Dagan added.

He confirmed that “over the past two years, dozens of enemy attempts to damage and disable national systems have been thwarted,” and warned, “These attempts will increase.”

More than 120 Israeli specialists from the military’s two cyber units participated in the CyberDome exercise in the U.S., training together, “keyboard to keyboard, shoulder to shoulder,” against various threats, the IDF said.

During two years of war, Israel has faced a rise in cyberattacks, with some attributed to Iran.

Dagan’s remarks come on the heels of State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman’s warning that Israel’s preparations for foreign interference in the 2026 elections are inadequate, putting the integrity of the state’s democratic process at risk.

The Comptroller regularly reviews Israel’s preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies.

The Comptroller said in early December that his office is currently reviewing the government’s handling of foreign influence in the digital sphere.

Engelman said early findings from the review already indicate serious shortcomings. “It can already be said that the findings indicate significant deficiencies,” he noted.

In April, an audit by Engelman’s office found that a computer system used by Israel’s Home Front Command for monitoring and managing emergencies was highly vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Hackers penetrating the system could potentially spread misinformation and manipulate emergency alerts, his report warned.

In 2023, a team of hackers overseen by Engelman staged a controlled penetration of one major hospital to test its preparedness. The attack revealed deficiencies in the medical center’s security precautions and responses to the “hack.”

According to Engelman, the shortcomings could also apply to other medical centers.