Israel Thwarts Massive DDoS Attack on Government Websites

The National Digital Array, the governmental body overseeing Israel’s gov.il domain, has successfully averted a significant Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. This security incident marks one of the most critical cyber threats Israel has faced in recent times. As reported by ynet.co.il, authorities suspect a political entity to be behind this large-scale attack.

An Unprecedented Attack

On Wednesday, Israel’s government websites endured a sophisticated DDoS attack. This cyber onslaught targeted the gov.il domain, including highly sensitive websites such as Mossad, Shin Bet, and the Bank of Israel.

An astounding number of 18,000 end devices from 117 different countries launched this coordinated assault. The extent and complexity of the attack are unparalleled in recent Israeli cyber history, confirming the involvement of a formidable adversary, presumably a political body.

Resilient Defense

In a conversation with ynet, Hagai Perlmutter, the director of the National Digital Array’s cyber protection division, explained the gravity of the situation: “This is the most significant attack we have experienced in recent times”. Dismissing the possibility of “esoteric cyber groups”, he asserted that such an attack requires more than ordinary capabilities.

Technological Triumph

The National Digital Array successfully thwarted the attack using machine learning-based tools, innovatively developed following previous attacks. On March 14, 2022, they endured the sixth largest DDoS attack globally, causing a 46-minute unavailability. These experiences have honed their defense capabilities, aiding in the successful mitigation of this recent attack.

DDoS Attacks: A Persistent Threat

DDoS attacks primarily aim to overload website servers with an excessive number of commands, causing them to crash. While these attacks don’t typically allow for information theft, they can cause considerable reputational damage and disrupt service provision.

The anti-Israeli cyber campaign OPIsrael in April witnessed a spike in such attacks, causing several Israeli websites, including universities, Israel Railways, and banks, to falter.