Israel under onslaught of DDoS attacks

As predicted, the escalation of the Israel-Iran war has led to a surge of various hacktivism activities, mostly DDoS.

Ideologically aligned netizens have been defacing websites, knocking some of them offline, and leaking stolen data.

According to CyberKnow, around 100 different hacktivist groups were involved by the first weekend of fighting. The majority of them seem to be supporting Iran.

🚨🚨 Iran and Israel War Cybertracker #2 🚨🚨

17 June 2025 update for hacktivist activity related to the ongoing #iranisraelwar

- There are already over 100 hacktivist groups who are active from this geopolitical flashpoint.

- There are four pro-India hacktivist groups… pic.twitter.com/v8KEnbvcbd

undefined CyberKnow (@Cyberknow20) June 17, 2025

Since the beginning of the conflict, cybersecurity company Radware has observed approximately 30 DDoS attack claims targeting Israel per day.

The DDoS onslaught on Israel is primarily led by two hacktivist groups, Mr Hamza and Arabian Ghosts. The most frequently targeted industries in Israel are:

1. Government & Public Sector (~27%)
2. Manufacturing (~20%)
3. Telecommunications (~12%)
4. Media & Internet (~9%)
5. Banking and Financial Services (~5.3%)

In parallel, both sides are trying to control the narrative online and influence public opinion. According to Radware, Iran and its allies have launched an “extensive propaganda campaign,” aimed at intimidating Israelis, spreading fake news, and disinformation.

Both sides have been spreading doctored and deepfaked images related to the war.

“The online disinformation and influence side of this war is highly active. False narratives, doctored evidence, and strategic censorship are all in play. This digital fog of war makes it challenging for the public to discern truth, and it underscores how modern conflicts are fought not just with missiles, but with memes and messaging apps,” Radware said.

Israel’s attempts to influence public opinion and make more allies are also noteworthy. Recently, they brought a delegation of pro-Israeli influencers, including journalists, from one of the Baltic states to Israel. It might have gone unnoticed if not for one of the former journalists, who was not allowed to board the plane taking them home.

Iran, meanwhile, is trying to keep its citizens in the dark by restricting internet access and urging citizens to uninstall WhatsApp.

“A parallel disinformation war is attempting to influence hearts and minds worldwide, fueled by fake personas and fabricated media. Going forward, organizations in the region and around the world are on high alert for a spillover effect,” Radware said.