Hackers targeting Israel's water supply aimed to cause 'humanitarian disaster:' official
National Cyber Directorate head says cyberattacks set to increasingly target civilian, humanitarian structures
A recent cyberattack on Israel's water supply was aimed at bringing about a "humanitarian disaster," Israel's cyber defense chief told a conference Thursday.
According to Yigal Unna, Director General of Israel National Cyber Directorate, while the attack had been thwarted, it could have resulted in a shortage of water amidst the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic -- or in poisonous chemicals like chlorine making it into the water supply.
The attack in question was attributed to Iran, according to a Fox News report, but Unna did not point at any specific perpetrators in his speech.
What he did say, however, was that the offensive was a well-organized one, and it had not been conducted by regular criminals.
He specified that the operation was built around the idea of causing real-world physical damage through digital means, as opposed to targeting a website or a database, -- a first for Israeli cyber defense experts.
The past month will be remembered as a turning point in the history of cyberwar, he asserted grimly, with the attacks set to increasingly target humanitarian and civilian infrastructure.
The late April cyberattack on water pumps resulted in little to no damage as it was quickly thwarted by Israeli defenses. However, it reportedly prompted a response, with Israel targeting Iran's largest port in return.