Security News > 2020 > August > Israel Says Foiled Cyber Attack on Its Defence Firms
The Israeli defence ministry said on Wednesday that it had foiled an attempted cyber attack by a foreign group targeting the country's defence manufacturers.
The United States has linked Lazarus to North Korea's regime, but the Israeli statement did not identify the foreign country concerned, nor did it say when the attempted attack took place or which firms it targeted.
Last September, Washington issued sanctions against three North Korean entities accused in cyber attacks, including the Lazarus Group, which was involved in the theft of around $80 million from the central bank of Bangladesh.
In the Israeli incident, the defence ministry statement said, "The attackers impersonated managers, CEOs and leading officials in HR departments... and contacted employees of leading defence industries in Israel."
Israeli defence exports totalled $7.2 billion in 2019, with the bulk going to Asia and the Pacific region.