Latest news with #IsraelNationalCyberDirectorate
Middle East Eye
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Senior Israel National Cyber Directorate official arrested on suspicion of paedophilia
Israeli media has reported that a senior official in the Israel National Cyber Directorate was arrested in Las Vegas on suspicion of online paedophilia. According to a report on the Israeli news website Ynet, Tom Alexandrovich, 38, was arrested for questioning by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during a conference he had attended on behalf of the cyber directorate last week. He was arrested along with seven other suspects as part of "a multi-agency operation targeting child sex predators [which] led to the arrest of eight individuals over the past two weeks", Las Vegas police said in a statement. The suspects, according to local police, "face felony charges of Luring a Child with Computer for Sex Act". The Israel National Cyber Directorate, which is supervised by the Prime Minister's Office, said in response: "The employee informed the Directorate that during his trip to the United States he was questioned by the US authorities on matters not related to work matters, and returned to Israel on the scheduled date of return. "The Directorate has not yet received additional details through the authorised channels. If it receives, the Directorate will act accordingly. "At this stage, in a joint decision, the employee went on leave to deal with the matter until things will become clear." However, Ynet reported that, contrary to the directorate's statement, Las Vegas police documents indicate that Alexandrovich - head of the cyber directorate's technological defence division - was arrested in the US. According to the report, the Israeli senior official was released on $10,000 bail after appearing before a judge. "The documents indicate that Alexandrovich is suspected of seducing a mentally ill child using computer technology to have sex," Ynet said. In response, the Israel National Cyber Directorate added that it "was not involved in any matter related to the bail". Israel Police refused to comment on Alexandrovich's situation after his return to the country, saying: "As a rule, any complaint or information that raises suspicion of committing a criminal offence is examined by the police, and where there is a reasonable basis for suspicion that a criminal offence has been committed, an investigation is opened in accordance with each case and its circumstances. "We do not provide details regarding the existence or non-existence of investigations, and this does not confirm or deny their existence." The case comes after another senior Israeli official was accused of inappropriate behaviour. Israel's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yossi Shelley, was recalled last month after senior Emirati officials complained of inappropriate conduct. Shelley, who served as director general of the Prime Minister's Office before becoming ambassador to the UAE, is considered close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A senior Israeli foreign ministry official told Channel 12 on Saturday that "the subject he talks about all the time in an exaggerated way is prostitutes", adding: "That's what he tells everyone about, that's what he likes to talk about the most." According to the report, Shelley used to go to "dubious places" during his time in the UAE. When Emirati officials sought to coordinate these visits, "Shelley went wild and just attacked the security guards by shouting: 'You won't lock me up.'"
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israeli government official arrested in Nevada sex crimes operation
A cybersecurity official for the Israeli government was arrested in Nevada during an operation targeting child sex predators. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, was arrested earlier this month and is facing a felony charge of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Friday. He has since been released from custody after posting a $10,000 bail, court records show. Alexandrovich was one of eight people arrested in the past two weeks as a result of the operation, police said. The Israeli government's website refers to the 38-year-old as head of the Technological Defense Division at the Israel National Cyber Directorate, which is the government agency responsible 'for all aspects of cyber defense in the civilian sphere.' Alexandrovich's LinkedIn Profile, which has since been deleted, also described him as an agency official, Mediaite reported. Screenshots from his account suggest he was in Las Vegas to attend Black Hat USA, a six-day event that includes conferences and cybersecurity trainings. He posted a photo of himself at the event on LinkedIn and wrote an emoji-rich caption: 'Two things you can't escape at Black Hat 2025: the relentless buzz of Generative Al [and] and the sound of Hebrew…in every corridor.' Under Nevada law, the crime of cyber luring carries a sentence of one to 10 years behind bars. The police said Alexandrovich and six others arrested during the undercover operation were booked into the Henderson Detention Center. He was released from custody after posting bond on August 7, court records show. The Independent has asked the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for more information about Alexandrovich's whereabouts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denied that a government employee was arrested. 'A state employee who traveled to the U.S. for professional matters was questioned by American authorities during his stay,' the prime minister's office said, in a statement to Mediaite. 'The employee, who does not hold a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled.' Israeli news site Ynet reported that an Israel National Cyber Directorate employee was 'briefly detained for questioning during a professional conference' in the U.S. before returning to his hotel and flying back to Israel two days later.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel security agencies warn people: Turn off your home security cameras or ...
Representative Image Iran is reportedly hacking into private security cameras across Israel to gather real-time intelligence on its adversary, highlighting a growing vulnerability in internet-connected devices amid escalating global conflicts, cybersecurity experts revealed this week. According to a report in Bloomberg, following a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles that struck high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv, Refael Franco, former deputy director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate , issued an urgent warning on public radio this week. 'Turn off your home surveillance cameras or change the password,' Franco urged, now leading cybersecurity firm Code Blue. 'In the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to assess missile impact sites and improve their precision.' The Israel National Cyber Directorate is said to have confirmed the surge in cyberattacks targeting internet-connected cameras for Iran's war planning. 'We've seen attempts throughout the war, and those attempts are renewed now,' a spokesperson said Monday. While photos of missile impact sites circulate on social media, Israeli authorities have imposed an official blackout on such images. This tactic is not new. Gaby Portnoy, who recently stepped down as director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, noted that Hamas previously exploited private cameras ahead of its October 7, 2023, invasion. 'The intelligence gathering from private cameras in the Gaza periphery was a disaster,' Portnoy said in an interview. 'Thousands of cameras, both public and private, were hacked over the years for intelligence collection.' Security cameras banned in Ukraine, US banned Chinese cameras by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The issue extends beyond the Israel-Iran conflict. In Ukraine, Russia is reported to have similarly exploited private cameras near border crossings, military sites, and rail stations to track material movements, according to a May joint advisory by the US National Security Agency and Western intelligence agencies. Ukraine banned surveillance cameras in 2022 after warnings that Russia was using them to plan airstrikes, and in 2023, urged owners of street webcams to halt online broadcasts to prevent real-time missile strike adjustments. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission banned Chinese-made surveillance equipment in 2022 over national security concerns. The Israel-Iran cyberwar has intensified alongside physical attacks, with pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow claiming responsibility for disrupting a major Iranian bank and a cryptocurrency exchange. Iran's state-run IRIB News reported that Israel launched a full-scale cyberattack on the country's critical infrastructure. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Iranian hackers hijacking home security cameras to spy within Israel
Iran is tapping into private security cameras in Israel to gather real-time intelligence about its adversary, exposing a recurrent problem with the devices that has emerged in other global conflicts. Earlier this week, after Iranian ballistic missiles tore through high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv, a former Israeli cybersecurity official went on public radio to issue a stark warning: Turn off your home surveillance cameras or change the password. 'We know that in the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to understand what happened and where their missiles hit to improve their precision,' Refael Franco, the former deputy director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, said on Monday. He now runs the cybersecurity crisis firm Code Blue. A spike in cyberattacks has accompanied the war between Israel and Iran, with a pro-Israel hacking group known as Predatory Sparrow claiming responsibility for disrupting a major Iranian bank and a breach that struck an Iranian crypto exchange. Iran's state-run IRIB News reported that Israel had launched a full-scale cyberattack on the country's critical infrastructure. A spokesperson for the Israel National Cyber Directorate, a government agency, confirmed that internet-connected cameras were increasingly targeted for Iran's war planning. 'We've seen attempts throughout the war, and those attempts are being renewed now,' the spokesperson said on Monday. Photos of impact sites in Israel, though circulating on social media, are under an official blackout. It isn't the first time Israel's foes have used the devices to spy. For instance, Hamas hacked into private security cameras ahead of its invasion on Oct. 7, 2023, said Gaby Portnoy, who recently completed a three-year term as director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate. 'The intelligence gathering that Hamas did from private cameras in the Gaza periphery was a disaster,' Portnoy said in an interview. 'Thousands of cameras were hacked over the years, both public and private, and were used to collect intelligence.' Similar tactics have been used by Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia 'likely used access to private cameras at key locations, such as near border crossings, military installations, and rail stations, to track the movement of materials,' according to a joint cybersecurity advisory in May by the US National Security Agency and other Western intelligence agencies. 'The actors also used legitimate municipal services, such as traffic cams.' Ukraine banned surveillance cameras in 2022 amid a warning that Russia was using them to plan airstrikes. The next year, Ukraine's government called on the owners of street webcams to stop broadcasting online. 'Russia is exploiting vulnerability of modern webcams to launch missile attack at Ukraine and adjust them in real time,' according to a government statement at the time. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission in 2022 banned Chinese-made surveillance equipment over national security concerns. The private surveillance market is fast growing around the world: it's projected to reach $89 billion in 2030, up from $54 billion in 2024, according to a study by MarketsandMarkets Research. Relatively cheap and ubiquitous, private security cameras are often easy to access and hack, and they can provide foreign intelligence services with information on where troops are located, or help adversaries figure out where to drop bombs. While researchers have been warning about the vulnerabilities in security cameras for over a decade, some in the industry say they can be contained by investing in higher-end systems that offer regular firmware and software updates and by following proper installation procedures. 'Higher-grade security camera systems from vendors that take cybersecurity seriously will offer extensive configuration settings allowing for more device and communications customization,' Geoff Kohl, the Security Industry Association's senior director of marketing, said in an email. At the same time, users should 'presume your security video systems could be targeted,' he added. Most consumers prioritize price over the security of a surveillance system, even though a weakly protected camera can be a 'stepping stone' into overtaking the broader network, said Peleg Wasserman, a security architect at a global energy firm. 'They don't look at the security features of the device they're buying. So for the vendor there is no incentive to beef up security of such systems.' 'Consumers need to remember that they're not the only ones who may have access to this camera,' Wasserman said. 'I've seen people that put a camera outside the home without knowing that they're also filming their neighbors, for example, or a sensitive object or even giving a panoramic view of a city which may be useful for targeting.' In addition, private surveillance cameras often come with a default password — sometimes as simple as 1-2-3-4 — which is rarely changed by the user, according to experts. Some systems automatically stream the footage on the internet. While Chinese-made cameras have taken over a large part of the private surveillance market, other systems have weak protections. A study by BitSight Technologies Inc. this month found live footage from 40,000 security cameras is accessible on the internet, including 14,000 in the US. For countries at war, this data leakage can be an Achilles' heel. In 2022, the Israeli cyber agency warned that 66,000 personal cameras in Israel were using a default password and could easily be overtaken by hackers. That warning was largely unheeded, including in the southern towns that were invaded by Hamas in the attack that killed over 1,200 and saw 250 abducted. After the Hamas attack, the Israeli government issued nonbinding directives urging citizens to strengthen the information security on their personal security cameras, many of them Chinese-made, including adding two-factor authentication. It also obtained legal approval to remotely shut off traffic cameras and personal devices reflecting out on sensitive areas, such as borders or critical infrastructure, according to Portnoy, the former director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate. That came after it detected increased attempts by Israel's adversaries to breach highway cameras to monitor troop movements. Portnoy said Hamas had hacked private cameras for years to collect intelligence and monitor civilian and military movements while planning the attacks. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the US and many other governments. An analysis of the military's secure border cameras after the war began found they not breached by Hamas, according to Portnoy. But private security systems from the kibbutzim nearby that were later invaded were compromised, he said, citing footage found in Gaza by the Israeli military. Franco, in an interview before the outbreak of the latest Israel-Iran conflict, said cameras that farmers installed in agricultural fields along the border to prevent theft inadvertently showed soldiers' positions along the Gaza security fence. Most people are unaware of the potential dual use of CCTV when they try to bolster their personal security without proper safeguards, whether in towns, kindergartens, offices or private homes, according to Franco. 'You try to protect yourself and meanwhile you are exposing yourself,' he said. Since Israel launched its attack on Iran's nuclear program on Friday, Iran has retaliated by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones. More than 200 people have been killed in Iran by Israel's strikes, according to the Iranian government. In Israel, the government says 24 people have been killed and over 800 injured. More stories like this are available on ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
