Hackers allege they have breached the computer network of an Israeli nuclear facility

A hacking group with ties to Iran has asserted that it breached the computer network of a sensitive Israeli nuclear facility, a move purportedly made in protest against the conflict in Gaza, as declared by the ‘Anonymous’ collective.

According to the hackers, they gained access to and released thousands of documents, including PDFs, emails, and PowerPoint slides, from the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center. This facility, which houses a nuclear reactor connected to Israel’s undisclosed nuclear program, has historically been a target of rocket attacks by Hamas.

In a social media statement, the group emphasized that their actions were conducted to avoid civilian harm, distinguishing themselves from what they labeled as the aggressive tactics of the Netanyahu administration. However, another social media post from the group hinted at potential dangers, with an animated video depicting a nuclear explosion and urging the evacuation of nearby cities.

While the leaked documents suggest a compromise of the facility’s IT network, there’s no evidence to indicate a breach of its operational technology (OT) network. Moreover, nuclear facilities are equipped with multiple fail-safe systems to mitigate potential risks.

The Israeli embassy in London declined to comment on the incident.

Gil Messing, Chief of Staff at the Israeli cybersecurity firm Checkpoint, noted that they were familiar with the ‘Anonymous’ group, which emerged with its own social media accounts at the onset of the Gaza conflict. Messing suggested that these hackers may be affiliated with Iranian groups operating under different aliases.

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment.

Messing added that while some of the previous cyberattacks were confirmed, others were not, making it difficult to determine the authenticity of this specific incident.