In cybersecurity provider Radware's situation room, a dramatic rise in cyberattacks on Israeli websites and companies was observed starting from October 2023, parallel to Hamas's attack on Israel. This rise propelled Israel to the first place in the world among countries attacked in 2023.
"Now, towards the beginning of Ramadan, we are witnessing another wave of cyberattacks by existing and new cyberattack entities. Similar to previous cyber events such as pro-Russian cyberattacks on critical websites and infrastructure in Ukraine, there is importance in tracking and studying the techniques and methods of the attackers. We estimate that soon we will see the expansion of the use of these techniques to other arenas in the world," said Ron Miran, cyber intelligence division manager at Radware.
Tracking the attackers' Telegram channels exposes the motivation of pro-Palestinian attackers. For example, the leader of the attack group LulzSec Indonesia wrote that he threatens Israel not to attack the city of Rafah during Ramadan. Islamic bodies participating in the attacks also emphasize this motivation or echo this message.
Sophisticated cyberattack vectors
Miran added that: "There is a clear rise in the use of sophisticated attack vectors designed to challenge detection and defense against them. In many cyber incidents, we witness the use of complex attacks involving multiple attack vectors simultaneously over a period that can last for several hours to several days with several peak points during the event."
High-level sophisticated attacks by professional and emerging attack bodies have been directed against government websites, government ministries, and media networks. Communication and financial infrastructures such as telecommunication companies, banks, and major insurance providers have also been targeted. Most websites experienced repeated and evolving attacks in recent days.