OpIsrael
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#OpIsrael was a coordinated cyber-attack by anti-Israel[1] groups and individuals against websites they perceived as associated with Israel, chiefly through denial of service assaults.[2] Timed for 7 April 2013, the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, its stated goal was to "erase Israel from the internet".[3][4][5] Some perpetrators claimed to be identified with the hacktivist group Anonymous, but according to Dr. Tal Pavel of MiddleEasterNet, the claim is not necessarily true.[1] Websites targeted by the activists included those of banks, the Mossad, schools, privately owned small businesses and newspapers in Israel, as well as (according to one source) Israel's national Holocaust museum Yad Vashem, and government agencies.[3][5][6]
In the leadup to the attack, Israeli organizations made preparations to defend their websites, and cyber-security experts called on home users to increase awareness and take precautions such as changing passwords, not opening strange or suspicious emails, and maintaning especial vigilance when using Facebook. The Israel Internet Association (ISOC) operated a hotline for people to report attacks and published real-time status reports on its website.[7][2]
#OpIsrael caused very little damage and was assessed by the Israeli Government's National Cyber Bureau and by multiple media outlets to have been a failure.[8][9] Sites that were adversely affected by the attack included those of the Israeli Ministry of Education and Central Bureau of Statistics.[1]
The attack was praised by Hamas, the militant Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip and is designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States and several other countries. Hamas spokesman Ihab al-Ghussain wrote: "May God protect the spirit and mission of the soldiers of this electronic war".[5]
References
- ^ a b c As cyber-war begins, Israeli hackers hit back, Times of Israel 07-04-2013
- ^ a b Israeli cyber activists attack anti-Israel hackers, Jerusalem Post 07-04-2013
- ^ a b Anonymous launches massive cyber assault on Israel, RT 07-04-2013
- ^ Groups of hackers threaten to "wipe Israel off the Internet", France 24 28-03-2013 (French)
- ^ a b c Cyberwarfare: Hackers launch attacks on Israel, Der Spiegel 07-04-2013 (German)
- ^ Anonymous targets Israel, JPost repels hackers, Jerusalem Post 07-04-2013
- ^ On eve of attack, Israel preparing for the cyber-worst, Times of Israel 05-04-2013
- ^ Hackers target Israeli websites, Ynet News 07-04-2013
- ^ Botched mission? #OpIsrael cyberattack fails to frustrate Israeli govt, Al-Arabiya 07-04-2013