Israel on alert for cyber attacks

Israel is bracing for the annual cyber attack by pro-Palestinian hackers.  

Israeli security agencies and cyber defense units are on high alert in anticipation of cyber attacks next week, although no meaningful damage is expected.

“Anonymous” hackers gather for a yearly demonstration in support of the “Palestinian cause,” and this year’s cyber attack is dubbed “OpIsrahell.”

Threats have been circulating online in English, Arabic, French and German, warning of next Friday’s imminent disruption of networks identified as being associated with the Jewish state. The hackers targeted the Jewish state on April 7 in past years.

The attacks have succeeded in the past in blocking government and other sites, including the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, but all in all have caused little damage.

The Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency) has stated in the past that Israel is prepared for “all forms of aggression. Israel is well-protected.”

The April 7 cyber attacks were first launched in 2013; that year, they coincided with the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel.

Israel has an advanced cyber-security apparatus and fends off thousands of cyber attacks on a daily basis.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News