CyberWarfare on the Rise With Surge in Hacktivist Activity Following Israel-Iran

Cyberspace has become a crucial battlefield in addition to conventional combat since the open conflict between Israel and Iran broke out.

Following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and Iran’s retaliatory missile salvos, both nations recognized as formidable cyber powers have escalated their digital operations.

Israel-linked group Gonjeshke Darande (Predatory Sparrow), widely considered a front for Israeli cyber units, executed high-impact strikes on Iranian infrastructure.

State-Sponsored Cyber Strikes Intensify

On June 17, they claimed responsibility for infiltrating Iran’s state-owned Bank Sepah, obliterating its data and causing widespread service outages, leaving customers unable to access accounts or withdraw funds.

The following day, the same group breached Nobitex, a major Iranian cryptocurrency exchange, siphoning off approximately $81.7 million in digital assets and threatening to leak sensitive internal data.

According to Radware Report, these attacks underscore Israel’s sophisticated offensive capabilities, reminiscent of the infamous Stuxnet virus that crippled Iran’s uranium centrifuges in 2010.

Meanwhile, Iran’s response has leaned toward psychological warfare, with state-sponsored actors unleashing waves of phishing emails, DDoS attacks, and disinformation campaigns targeting Israeli civilian systems.

Fake emergency alerts spoofing Israel’s Home Front Command, such as warnings of fuel shortages or imminent attacks, aim to sow panic, while analysts caution that Iran may be reserving more devastating cyber weapons for potential escalation.

Hacktivism and Disinformation Dominate

Parallel to state-driven operations, a surge in hacktivist activity has amplified the cyber conflict, with over 60 pro-Iran groups dominating the landscape compared to a smaller cohort of pro-Israel actors.

Since the conflict’s onset, Radware reports nearly 40% of global hacktivist DDoS attacks targeting Israel, peaking at 40 claimed attacks on June 14, with key players like Mr. Hamza and Arabian Ghosts leading campaigns against Israeli sectors such as government (27%), manufacturing (20%), and telecommunications (12%).

Beyond Israel, hacktivist groups including DieNet have issued threats against the United States, United Kingdom, and others perceived as Israeli allies, signaling potential global spillover.

On the disinformation front, Iran has deployed extensive propaganda via social media botnets and AI-generated media, circulating deepfakes and fabricated visuals to manipulate narratives.

Iranian state media has been accused of broadcasting misleading footage, while domestic internet curbs and censorship aim to control internal narratives and counter Israeli psychological operations.

Israel, too, has faced scrutiny for sharing questionable content, contributing to a digital fog of war where truth becomes elusive.

This hybrid warfare landscape, blending state cyberattacks, hacktivist disruptions, and influence campaigns, poses risks to critical infrastructure and global businesses, with cybersecurity experts urging heightened vigilance against collateral damage.

As bytes become as lethal as bombs, the Israel-Iran conflict of 2025 exemplifies the perilous intersection of technology and warfare, where narratives and networks are fiercely contested domains.

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