Summary

A pro-Iran hacker group has claimed responsibility for a DDoS cyberattack against the Spotify music streaming platform on Tuesday, according to a report from the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security. Users reported issues accessing Spotify on Wednesday evening around 8 p.m., according to the report, which cited Downdetector. Spotify, in turn, referred users to a post on the company's website, posting on X that, “We’ve received some reports mentioning that the app, support site, and the Web Player are slow or not working properly. This is being investigated.” The Islamic Cyber Resistance in Iraq – 313 Team claimed responsibility for the attack a short while later, writing on Telegram that they “carried out a massive cyber attack targeting Spotify’s main servers, causing a major disruption to the website and completely disabling the application," per the McCrary Institute report. Israelis receive threatening WhatsApp messages, likely from Iranian hackers Also on Monday, Israelis all over the country received threatening text messages via WhatsApp. The messages, written in English, were sent from business accounts that appear legitimate, such as those for a cake shop or other businesses, yet were actually sent by hackers who took control of existing accounts or created fake ones. The National Cyber Directorate was briefed on the details and is examining the source of the messages, as the pattern of activity aligns with that of the Iranian hacker group Handala, which typically combines cyberattacks with psychological warfare targeting citizens to undermine their sense of personal security. The message sent to many citizens was written in English and included direct political and military references. It read, "Netanyahu, leader of the Epstein cult, is trying to maintain his position of authority by committing another act of reckless foolishness. This is a warning to you, the Jewish residents of the occupied territories: Prepare for a barrage of Sayid Majid missiles if you do not put an end to this foolishness. You will soon be spending weeks in your shelters, so stock up now. Hack Handala." Hezbollah, Iranian hacktivists publish target list of IDF Egoz veterans as 'senior officers' On Sunday, a target list of a few dozen IDF Egoz commando unit veterans and reservists was published by the Iranian regime-backed hacktivist group Handala, which claimed that they had exposed the identities of 60 senior officers. Handala said on its website that the commandos would now become targets for the “resistance’s shadows.” While the hacktivist group claimed they had exposed 60 senior Egoz officers, the 48 men they presented appeared to be veterans and reservists. Many openly advertised their past affiliation with Egoz on social media, and according to their LinkedIn profiles, they did not serve beyond their mandatory service. The most senior seen by The Jerusalem Post was an NCO. None appeared to be officers, and they had already established careers outside the military. Dr. Itay Gal and Michael Starr contributed to this report.