Latest news with #CodeBlue
Al Bawaba
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Iran hacks Israeli home security cameras in intelligence operation
Published June 20th, 2025 - 06:26 GMT ALBAWABA - Bloomberg reported that Iran has been breaking into private home security cams all over Israel to get real-time information. The war between Iran and Israel is now in its second week. The story makes me worry again about how protection holes are being used during current Franco, who used to be the deputy head of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, went on public radio to tell people: "Shut down your home security cameras or change your passwords immediately." This was in response to recent Iranian ballistic missile attacks that damaged several high-rise buildings in Tel who is now the CEO of cybersecurity crisis company Code Blue, said that Iranian agents have been trying to get into internet-connected surveillance systems over the past few days to check how accurate rocket hits are and make plans for future attacks. The conflict between Israel and Iran has spread to online, where attacks are getting stronger along with real attacks. A group of hackers supporting Israel called Predatory Sparrow said they were behind recent hacks that shut down a major Iranian bank and got into a local bitcoin exchange. In reaction, IRIB, Iran's state television, said that Israel had started a large-scale hack on Iran's most important assets. As part of Iran's strategy operations, the National Cyber Directorate of Israel stated that there have been more efforts to break into linked devices, especially security cams. A spokesman said, "These attempts have been going on all through the war and are happening more often now." 🚨🇮🇷💥🇮🇱 Iran has reportedly hacked internet-connected home security cameras across Israel to conduct surveillance and gather intelligence. — Defense Intelligence (@DI313_) June 20, 2025 Israel has officially banned the sharing of video of rocket impacts for security reasons, but some pictures are still making the rounds on social the meantime, Iran has started a campaign against what it sees as sabotage networks inside the country that it says are linked to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. The Iranian government recently said that they had seized 14 drones, found secret companies that made drones, and stopped cars carrying robotic aircraft in several people were arrested in Lorestan Province on suspicion of working as Mossad spies. They were accused of sharing anti-government material online and stirring up Iranian intelligence broke up what they thought was an explosives production cell that was working in Alborz and Isfahan Provinces. The cell was apparently led by a Mossad agent who was caught in with its military and defense measures, Iran has had strict rules on the internet ever since the fighting started. Access to a lot of websites has been blocked in whole or in part. The government has told people to use connected gadgets less and be aware of possible digital weaknesses. These events show that the online aspect of the conflict between Iran and Israel is getting worse. The two countries are now at war on physical, digital, and mental fronts. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
See - Sada Elbalad
9 hours ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Iran Hacks Israeli Surveillance Cameras
Israa Farhan An Israeli cybersecurity official has revealed that Iran has successfully hacked private surveillance cameras across Israel in a bid to gather real-time data on missile strikes, including impact timing and accuracy of targets inside the country. The warning follows a wave of Iranian ballistic missile attacks earlier this week, which struck high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. The cyber threat has prompted urgent alerts to Israeli citizens regarding the security of internet-connected home cameras. Rafael Franco, former deputy director-general of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, urged residents via public radio to either disable their security cameras or update their passwords immediately. Speaking to Bloomberg News, Franco explained that Iranian operatives had attempted to access footage in the days following the attacks to assess the exact locations and effectiveness of their missile strikes. Franco, who now leads the Israeli cybersecurity firm Code Blue, emphasized that Tehran intends to enhance its targeting precision by utilizing Israeli video data. This revelation comes amid a sharp escalation in cyber warfare between the two regional rivals. In parallel with the missile exchanges, pro-Israeli hacking group Predatory Sparrow claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on a major Iranian bank and a breach that disrupted the country's cryptocurrency exchange systems. Iran's state media reported a large-scale cyber offensive from Israel, targeting critical infrastructure across the Islamic Republic. An Israeli National Cyber Directorate spokesperson confirmed that internet-connected surveillance systems are increasingly being targeted as part of Iran's military strategy. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- 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.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Officials weigh in as two homeless shelters announce closure
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The Keystone Mission has announced the closure of two homeless shelters in our area. Hundreds rely on these shelters for resources like food, water, and a place to stay, but now they'll be forced to find somewhere else to go. People 28/22 News spoke with in Wilkes-Barre were emotional about the closure, but more than anything, they're worried about what it means for Wilkes-Barre's homeless population going forward. 'This place is hope. You know, it don't matter if you're alone in this world or any of it. As long as you got hope and there's a will, then there's a way,' Wilkes-Barre resident Joshua Ervin told 28/22 News. A source of hope for many will soon be a thing of the past. Keystone Mission announced early Tuesday afternoon it would be closing two shelter locations, one in Scranton, the other in Wilkes-Barre. The Wilkes-Barre location on North Pennsylvania Avenue is set to close in four weeks. Attempts to reach the mission's director were unsuccessful, but Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown says the shelter is closing due to a lack of funding. PSP searching for missing woman in Pike County 'As far as I knew, everything was fine, everything was going well over there, and then to get a phone call from another news source that said, you know, 'They're closing, Mayor, what do you think?' It's just shocking to me,' Mayor Brown said. The shelters offer resources to those in the community who need them most. From the basics like food, water, and shelter, to tools like addiction recovery and housing assistance. For one man we spoke with, these resources allowed him to get back on his feet. 'I went from being homeless, sleeping in my car, to sleeping here. And then eventually, as time progressed, I got my one job, they got my bus pass, I got my phone back active,' Ervin added. We reached out to Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti regarding the Scranton location's closure, who issued the following statement: The loss of Keystone's services is unfortunate. In Scranton, we have formed strong relationships with multiple agencies focused on assisting the unsheltered population. Our Unsheltered Action Group meets regularly. We have already been planning for next year's Code Blue and are working with service providers to fill the weekend dinner gap that Keystone leaves. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti But until those gaps are closed, many in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre will be without the resources they need to help them get back on solid ground. 'I've gotten back up on my feet enough thanks to this place where I'll- I'll be okay. Is it going to be okay for most of the people that use this place for a means to sleep? Probably not,' Ervin continued. There is no word on when the Scranton location is set to close. Keystone Mission's other Wilkes-Barre location near Sherman Hills will reportedly stay open. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
'Where are the women?': Activist slams gender gap in media, politics
PETALING JAYA: The government should introduce more affirmative action policies to support women in leadership roles in the media and politics, says an activist. Speaking during the BBC World Questions debate last night, Universiti Malaya Gender Studies Programme head Dr Vilashini Somiah criticised persistent gatekeeping and cultural bias that hinder women's participation in decision-making spaces. "It's 2025, and we're still unable to say some of the most important things — especially in the media — because the room lacks equal participation," she said. "Women don't just speak for themselves. They create space for minorities, for people with disabilities, for indigenous voices." Vilashini said while quotas or gender-based targets were not ideal, they were necessary to address structural inequality. "The issue isn't just representation — it's the type of woman who gets in. Are we seeing a dark-skinned Tamil woman? A woman with a disability? Not really. "The system makes it hard even for the most privileged women to break through." The panel also included Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Fuziah Salleh and political analyst Dr Tricia Yeoh, who both pointed to structural barriers, such as the high cost of political participation and lack of party support for female candidates. Yeoh cited Malaysia's low female labour force return rate, especially after childbirth, as evidence of a broken support system. "The drop-off in women returning to work in their 30s and 40s is stark. We need institutional policies — childcare, leave, flexible work — to fix this." Fuziah, who is PKR secretary-general, said the party had recently amended its constitution to mandate minimum women and youth representation. "I won't be happy until we achieve full parity. We hold up half the sky," she said. Several audience members also voiced support for urgent legislative reform. "I hope in 10 or 20 years this won't just be a discussion," said Noor, a participant who raised the initial question on women in the media. Others, like journalist Tamina, who was also in the audience, called for policies that redefine men's roles in family life to balance domestic responsibilities. Still, not all agreed. CodeBlue editor-in-chief Boo Su-Lyn argued that affirmative action in the media would not automatically lead to more female representation in news coverage. "We report on people in power. If those in power are men, that's who gets quoted — regardless of whether the journalist is male or female." The debate also touched on issues such as the rising cost of living, national identity and fundamental liberties. It will be broadcast on the BBC World Service on Saturday, June 14.
