Israel Blames Iran-Backed Hackers for Recent University Breach

Hackers linked to the Iranian government were behind a cyberattack last month that shut down the operating systems of an Israeli university, Israel’s cyber authority said Tuesday.

(Bloomberg) —

Hackers linked to the Iranian government were behind a cyberattack last month that shut down the operating systems of an Israeli university, Israel’s cyber authority said Tuesday.

The group responsible for the hack was identified as MuddyWater, which is affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, the National Cyber Directorate said in a statement. The Feb. 12 attack on the Israel Institute of Technology, also known as Technion, used malware to encrypt the operating systems, the Israeli investigation found.

Israel and Iran have blamed each other for tit-for-tat hacks of civilian infrastructure, including large-scale attacks on water and sewage plants. Israel and the US have also been linked to cyberattacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities aimed at curbing its uranium enrichment progress.

The US Cyber Command last year said MuddyWater was linked to Iranian intelligence.

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