TEL AVIV: Israel’s government on Monday ordered communications firms to step up their cyber security efforts in the wake of a rise in attempted hacking attacks.

New regulations are currently being implemented in which mandatory and unified standards will have to be met, the Communications Ministry and Israel’s National Cyber Directorate said.

Under the new rules, firms must formulate plans to protect communications networks using a combination of monitoring and control mechanisms to make it possible to establish an up to date picture of cyber protection while ensuring privacy.

“We are trying to put the right standard on communications companies in order to protect Israel and create a kind of ‘Iron Dome’ from cyber security attacks. We are suffering from thousands of cyber attacks every year,” Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel told a news conference.

Israel uses an Iron Dome air-defence system to intercept rockets fired by Palestinian militants, mostly from Gaza. Hendel said that risks continued to mount, along with more digitisation.

“Communications networks are an attractive target for cyber attacks by hostile elements,” Hendel said, citing potential damage or shutdown of services and leakage of information being stored.

According to cyber security firm Check Point, there was a 137pc annual jump in average weekly attacks on Israeli companies, to nearly 1,500 per week, in the first three months of 2022.

Gaby Portnoy, Israel’s new cyber security czar, said in the last month alone, Israel had seen a sharp rise in attacks trying to bring down websites. He accused Iranians of carrying out many of the attacks.

Last month, he noted, a denial of service attack aimed at bringing down government sites began through telecom providers but ultimately failed.

Portnoy said Israeli telecoms firms had very good cyber security but that the new regulations, which include a higher level of supervision, would be an improvement.

Published in Dawn,May 3rd, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...