The directorate urged citizens to avoid clicking on unfamiliar links, sharing personal information with unverified sources, and to rely only on recognized organizations for psychological assistance.
The National Cyber Directorate prevented an Iranian cyber attack on Israel in which post-traumatic IDF veterans were lured to a website that was disguised as a mental health support service, the agency said Wednesday.
The site was registered under the name nefeshhope.com and was used to harvest personal details and install malware on the devices of visitors, according to Ynet.
The site has been taken down; however, authorities warn citizens to remain alert.
Website quickly removed before harm could be caused
The Cyber Directorate detected the site quickly due to advanced technologies, before it could cause significant harm.
“This is proactive work on our part, and it underscores the importance of constant vigilance against efforts to exploit the public, especially at moments of emotional vulnerability,” Dana Toren, head of operations at the directorate, said, according to the Israeli news site.
Officials believe that a known Iranian hacker group was responsible for the attack. They warn that the group could try again using different website domains or messages.
The directorate urged citizens to avoid clicking on unfamiliar links, sharing personal information with unverified sources, and to rely only on recognized organizations for psychological assistance.
Any suspicious activity can be reported to the directorate’s hotline at 119.
