Israel launches operation to fend off cyberattacks on IDF smartphones

Israel is carrying out an operation to prevent the stealing of sensitive military information from the smartphones of its soldiers, the IDF and the Shin Bet domestic security service disclosed Wednesday. According to a report by the IDF Spokesman's Office, Hamas set up a network of fictitious identities on social networks and used them to entice soldiers to download malware that enabled the terrorist organization to secretly track the smartphones, and in some cases take control of the smartphones' built-in microphones or cameras to monitor the nearby area. DEBKAfile's intelligence and cyber defense sources said that the main goal of Israel's operation is to raise awareness of information security in the military, especially the risk of secret operational information being leaked on social networks. They added that besides Hamas, other terrorist organizations like Hizballah and enemy countries such as Iran are also trying to carry out cyberattacks against smartphones.