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ast Tuesday, when the communities bordering Gaza came under sustained mortar fire, staff from the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council discovered that someone (or some entity) had hacked their computer system and demanded a substantial sum in return for control of the network. The regional council decided to pay the ransom, and later reported the case to the government cyber center.

The ransomware attack was seen as a dangerous escalation. In theory, hackers could issue an all-clear signal to civilians hiding in bomb shelters, and then launch a volley of rockets, endangering lives.

News of the incident reached MK Uri Maklev, who heads the Science & Technology Committee in the Knesset. In response, Maklev convened a hearing on cyberattacks during wartime, at which various professionals addressed the topic, with some of the testimony taking place behind closed doors. (Excerpted from Mishpacha, Issue 713)