The massive cyberattack the hacker group Anonymous had threatened to unleash on Israel Tuesday barely registered on the country's cyber infrastructure, thanks to diligent protection measures taken by all major industries and sectors. The hackers, who threatened Israel with an "electronic Holocaust," managed to disrupt only a handful of servers and minor, unprotected websites, and Israeli cyber experts said the coordinated attacks caused little damage. The hacking campaign, which has taken place every April 7 since 2013, seeks to protest Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. In 2013, the hackers first waged the coordinated campaign, dubbed #OpIsrael, on the eve of Israel's annual Holocaust Remembrance Day. Tuesday saw pro-Palestinian hackers target the Knesset website several times by mounting a denial-of-service attack, but the Knesset's Computerization and Technology Department was able to ward off the assault and stabilize the website. A denial-of-service attack seeks to overload the targeted server to the point where it is no longer able to provide its intended service and is forced to reset. Similar attacks also targeted the Israel Aviation Authority, Judicial Authority and Tel Aviv Stock Exchange's websites, to no real impact. The WhiteHat cybersecurity firm monitored the attacks throughout the day and informed the Shin Bet security agency of any attempt to target major or critical infrastructure. Israel's Computer Emergency Response Team, a civilian cybersecurity group, said Anonymous attacked a few dozen websites belonging to Israeli musicians and non-profit organizations, though no major disruptions were reported. The hackers replaced website home pages with photos of a Muslim holy site in Jerusalem and of militants holding the Islamic State militant flag, and posted a message signed by "AnonGhost." "We are always here to punish you! Because we are the voice of Palestine and we will not remain silent!" the message read. Israel's National Cyber Bureau said it distributed instructions to "relevant authorities" about boosting defense for websites ahead of the planned attack.
Israel's cyber infrastructure, especially its critical infrastructure, sustains hundreds of attacks on a daily basis, according to National Cyber Bureau data.
Cyberattack on Israel fails to push country's buttons
Anonymous hacker group's attempt to electronically cripple Israeli cyber infrastructure fails • Major servers exercise recommended protection protocols, escape disruptions • Dozens of minor websites hacked, none reporting significant damage.
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