The alleged Iranian-linked hacker group dubbed Malek Team has claimed responsibility for a significant cyberattack on Ziv Medical Center, a prominent hospital located in the city of Safed, near the Israeli border with Syria and Lebanon.
This Iranian threat group declared that they successfully breached the hospital’s security systems, gaining access to approximately 500GB of data dating back to 2022. Moreover, this attack includes an alleged 700,000 medical documents containing sensitive information about patients and Israeli soldiers.
The Malek Team immediately seized their opportunity after acquiring the stolen data.
Reports revealed that the Malek Team immediately published their ill-gotten gains by initiating a series of document releases on their Telegram channel last week. The leaked information included by the attackers are alleged records from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), raising concerns about the potential threat to national security.
The hackers claim the exposed information stores personal and medical details, ranging from types of diseases to prescribed medications.
On the other hand, the Israeli National Cyber Directorate issued a statement acknowledging the breach after discovering it in their recent investigations. Fortunately, they assured everyone they had contained the situation without disrupting the medical centre’s operations. Still, the hospital temporarily disconnected its email server and specific computer systems as a precautionary measure and to isolate the attack.
This instance is not the first time Ziv Medical Center has fallen victim to cyberattacks since the attack is the third incident in the past four months. Reports from local media outlets and Israeli authorities suggest indications of leaked information from the hospital’s systems, prompting an ongoing investigation into the potential data breach.
The Malek Team has also been active for the past few months as it recently claimed responsibility for other cyberattacks on Israeli targets. Their operations commonly involve releasing compelling evidence of the leaked data, including videos of university classes, admission interviews, and scans of passports and documents belonging to their victims.
In response to the breach, Israeli authorities will impose severe charges on violators of their law. As of now, the country prohibits the use, transfer, or distribution of any leaked information. They have also announced their intention to seek charges against individuals involved in the cyberattack.
Unfortunately, this campaign will not be the last activity from Iranian hackers against the country. Israeli organisations should be ready for these attacks by fortifying their cybersecurity solutions.
