Iranian Hackers Seize Sensitive Data from Israeli Police

Israeli Channel 12 confirms that a hacker group affiliated with Iranian intelligence, calling itself "Hanzala," has taken control of 2.1 terabytes of data.

10th February 2025

2 minutes read

Iranian Hackers Seize Sensitive Data from Israeli Police

Israeli Channel 12 revealed that an Iranian hacker group has successfully seized more than 2 terabytes of sensitive data from the Israeli police, in what is described as one of the largest security breaches of the Israeli state by Tehran and its agents, despite Israel’s technological superiority and significant advancements in cybersecurity.

According to the channel, the hacker group “Hanzala,” which Israeli authorities consider to be linked to Iranian intelligence, managed to infiltrate Israeli police databases and gained access to 2.1 terabytes of materials, including documents, videos, and photos.

The channel cited Iranian media reports stating that the group had obtained confidential employee documents, weapons inventories, medical records, court records, and identity documents.

It further emphasized that the hackers made approximately 350,000 documents publicly accessible, raising concerns over significant repercussions within Israel amid unprecedented tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv, heightening fears of a devastating regional conflict while former U.S. President Donald Trump was in office.

Last Monday, Israeli authorities announced the arrest of two soldiers suspected of spying for Iran, revealing Tehran’s ongoing efforts to infiltrate Israel’s security and military institutions. However, Israel claims to have dismantled numerous espionage networks.

In recent months, Israeli police and the Shin Bet (Israel’s internal security agency) have announced the arrests of multiple Israelis accused of espionage for Iranian intelligence.

Israel and Iran view each other as arch-enemies and have long accused one another of carrying out acts of sabotage, targeted assassinations, and cyberattacks.

On October 22, Israeli police announced the dismantling of a spy network consisting of seven Israelis who had been collecting information on military bases and energy infrastructure on behalf of Iranian intelligence.

Prior to that, police had arrested seven other Israelis in Haifa, accusing them of conducting hundreds of espionage missions under Tehran’s direction.

Last month, Israeli police detained an Israeli citizen suspected of being recruited by Iranian intelligence to plan the assassination of high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu recently survived an assassination attempt when a drone targeted his residence, an attack claimed by Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned Lebanese militant group.

Meanwhile, Iran has announced in recent years the dismantling of numerous espionage networks and has executed several opposition figures accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad.

Tehran accuses Tel Aviv of being behind multiple mysterious explosions targeting nuclear and energy sites in Iran. However, the Israeli government accuses Iran of fabricating espionage narratives to justify its repressive policies and reinforce conspiracy theories.