Iran Allegedly Breaches Israeli Surveillance Cameras for Real-Time Intelligence
A senior official has revealed that Iran has been accessing Israel’s surveillance cameras to gather real-time intelligence about its rival.
Following Iranian ballistic missiles targeting high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv earlier this week in retaliation for recent Israeli strikes on Iran, a former Israeli cybersecurity official issued a warning on public radio, advising residents to either deactivate their home surveillance cameras or change their passwords, according to Bloomberg News.
Rafael Franco, a former deputy director-general of the Israeli National Cybersecurity Authority, stated on Monday, “We are aware that over the past couple of days, the Iranians attempted to connect to the cameras to ascertain what happened and where their missiles struck, in order to enhance their accuracy.” Franco currently heads a cybersecurity firm named Code Blue.
The surge in cyberattacks accompanies the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, with an Israel-aligned hacking collective called “Predatory Sparrow” claiming responsibility for disabling a major Iranian bank and breaching the Iranian cryptocurrency exchange.
Iran’s state television has reported that Israel launched a large-scale cyber attack against vital infrastructure in the country. A spokesperson for the Israeli Cybersecurity Authority confirmed that there has been an increased targeting of internet-connected surveillance cameras as part of Iran’s military planning.
The spokesperson commented on Monday, “We have observed attempts during the conflict, and those attempts are now recurring.” Images of the affected sites in Israel remain under official censorship, despite their circulation on social media platforms.