Cyberattacks originating from Iran have disrupted mediation efforts led by Arab nations aimed at securing the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, according to Israeli cybersecurity firm Dream.
The firm revealed that Iranian cybercriminals infiltrated diplomatic networks in the Middle East, targeting sensitive communications related to the Cairo-based ceasefire negotiations. The attack reportedly compromised international diplomatic correspondence.
Dream identified the perpetrators as the Homeland Justice group, which is linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security. The group conducted a spear phishing campaign by posing as Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After gaining access to the legitimate email account of an employee at the Omani Embassy in Paris, the attackers sent emails that appeared to be authentic diplomatic messages. These emails contained malware embedded in Word documents.
Dream stated that the recipients of the infected emails included Egyptian officials involved in the mediation process, as well as representatives from the United States and Qatar.
In addition to targeting regional diplomats, the Iranian hackers also attempted to breach ten international organizations. Among those targeted were the United Nations, UNODC, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Order of Malta, and the African Union.
Dream noted that the cyberattack bore similarities to a 2023 incident in Albania, which was also attributed to Iranian actors.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)