Israel answered on the cyberattack with the missile attack in the real world

Daniel ZimmermannMay 8, 2019

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Last weekend on the official page of Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) in social network arrived message about unusual response to the Hamas’s cyberattack.

IDF representatives explained, that initially responded on the attack in virtual space and that Air Forces developed this success in a physical space.

Fact of the attack confirmed IDF unit “Dalet” commander.

“We attentively watched actions of the Hamas hackers and could thwart their aggressive plans” – explained “Dalet”.

According to his words, this is a first full-scale attack on servers on Israel civilian infrastructure.

Any other details about the cyberincident Israel Defense Forces do not disclose, but argue that in the destroyed building located Hamas cyberoperations’ center where worked operatives that committed an attack.

Perhaps, incident will be the first case in history when country responded on the virtual attack with the real bombing.

Below you can see the video of the air strike (it is worth noting that about such bombing is usually notified to avoid casualties from civilians).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxgd4St6M7k&w=640&h=360] video of the bombing of the building in Gaza

However, it is worth noticing that similar precedents took place earlier. For example, in 2015 US became a first country that applied military force answering a cyberattack. That time American drone eliminated Junaid Hussain, UK hacker that got a prison sentence in 2012 for hacking contacts of Great Britain prime-minister and later joined prohibited in many countries ISIS organization.

As was considered, he leaded hacker’s unit “Cybercaliphate” that committed many serious crimes, including hacking of Pentagon accounts.

However, Hussein’s liquidation was not an immediate response on cyberattack – for preparation for this operation US spent several months. By contrast, IDF reacted in real-time mode: last weekend situation in the region escalated when fighters of the “Palestinian Islamic Jihad” and Hamas movement shot in the Israel direction about 600 missiles and IDF also responded with rocket attacks.

Cyberattack occurred simultaneously with it, and mentioned building in Gaza sector was apparently added to the list of aims.