Israel is fortifying its defenses against cyber threats from Iran by constructing a “cyber dome” akin to its famed Iron Dome missile defense system.
Aviram Atzaba, head of international cooperation at the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, describes the ongoing cyber warfare as a silent conflict, noting a surge in attacks from Iran and its allies amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Despite the increased cyber assaults, Israel claims to have thwarted around 800 significant attacks since the conflict escalated, targeting government entities, military installations, and critical infrastructure. However, some attacks, including ones on hospitals in Haifa and Safed, resulted in data breaches.
To bolster its cyber defenses, Israel is transitioning from disparate local efforts to a centralized, real-time system under the Israeli National Cyber Directorate.
This initiative aims to proactively safeguard all aspects of Israeli cyberspace.
Acknowledging the gravity of the cyber threat posed by Iran, Chuck Freilich, from the Institute for National Security Studies highlighted Iran’s multifaceted cyber strategy, which includes sabotage, data collection, and dissemination of false information for propaganda purposes.
Notably this emphasises Iran’s cyber capabilities, which can be traced back to pivotal events such as the Stuxnet attack on Tehran’s nuclear program in 2010.
Despite being considered a major cyber power, Israel remains wary of Iran’s potential to enhance its cyber capabilities, fueled by assistance from countries like Russia and China, as well as investments in cyber education.
In response, Israel is emphasizing collaboration across public, private, and academic sectors, along with leveraging the expertise of “white hat” hackers to identify and address vulnerabilities in its cyber infrastructure.
At the core of Israel’s cyber defense strategy is the development of a comprehensive cyber dome, analogous to the Iron Dome, which integrates various scanning technologies to monitor and mitigate cyber threats in real time.
This collaborative approach underscores Israel’s commitment to staying ahead in the cyber arms race, recognizing the critical importance of cyber defense in an increasingly interconnected world.
