Israel: Increased Cyber Attacks on the Islamic Republic Will Have 'Costs'

The head of Israel's cyber defense expressed concern over the increasing intensity of cyber attacks from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Gabi Portnoy, head of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, told CNN that he is 'very concerned' that the Islamic Republic of Iran may escalate its long-standing covert conflict with Israel in the cyber domain with more serious attacks on Israeli infrastructure. Portnoy stated, 'They [Iran] know they can operate [in cyberspace] more freely than in the physical space.' He added, 'We are as prepared as possible for this issue.' Portnoy warned the Islamic Republic that any escalation of tensions in cyberspace would have 'costs' for them, meaning that Israeli hackers could retaliate against the Islamic Republic. However, Portnoy, who is responsible for cyber defense rather than cyber offense, emphasized his goal of preventing cyberspace from becoming 'another front' in the war between Israel and Hamas. CNN reports that based on interviews with private sector cybersecurity experts, in the four weeks following Hamas's terrorist attacks on Israel, hackers believed to be Iranian claimed responsibility for hacking numerous security cameras in Israel and published a tutorial on how to make Molotov cocktails for 'attacking Israeli and American embassies.' Analysts say that aside from rocket and drone attacks on Israeli forces by Hezbollah militants and similar attacks by other Iranian proxy forces against American forces in Syria and Iraq, showcasing digital threats is another way for the Islamic Republic to demonstrate power during the Hamas-Israel war. Portnoy also claimed that Hezbollah-affiliated hackers hacked private security cameras in Israel to track the movements of Israeli soldiers in recent weeks. CNN notes that it seems the apparently Iranian hackers had very little impact on the targets in Israel they publicly claimed to attack last month. According to CNN, it appears that the goal of these hackers is to spread narratives in the media about Israel's and America's vulnerabilities to cyber attacks. However, the recent series of cyber activities by the Islamic Republic has raised concerns among American and Israeli officials. They are worried that the Islamic Republic could leverage its significant hacking capabilities to strike at Israeli and U.S. interests while avoiding direct physical confrontation with Israelis. American officials say that since the Hamas attack, they have strengthened their close cyber relations with Israel by sharing information about any cyber threats. Christopher Wray, the head of the FBI, has also expressed concern over the potential escalation of tensions in cyberspace with Iran. He stated on Tuesday in the U.S. Senate, 'Cyber attacks against U.S. interests and critical infrastructure that we are currently seeing (from the Islamic Republic) Iran and non-state actors are expected to worsen if the conflict (between Israel and Hamas) expands, just as the threats of physical attacks will worsen.' A senior official from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Eric Goldstein, told CNN that regarding threats, American officials have not identified any 'change' against American organizations. Goldstein emphasized that his agency is on high alert. American officials are primarily more concerned that Iranian hackers, compared to other digital adversaries, tend to be largely irresponsible and unpredictable. For example, the U.S. previously accused them of attempting to hack a children's hospital in Boston in 2021. The Islamic Republic denied the accusation. The clear message from the United States was the announcement of the presence of a nuclear-capable submarine in the region.