Former prime minister Naftali Bennett says his cellphone itself was not compromised
By Sammy,
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett says his cellphone itself was not compromised, but confirms that hackers gained unauthorized access to his Telegram account, rejecting claims by an Iran-linked hacker group that it had breached his device.
In a statement issued by his office, Bennett says the incident is being handled by security authorities and accuses Israel's enemies of attempting to damage his political future. He says the effort is aimed at preventing his return to national leadership, adding that it will not deter him from continuing to act on behalf of the State of Israel and its people.
According to Bennett, follow-up examinations found that while his phone remained secure, access to his Telegram account was obtained "through various means." As a result, hackers acquired and circulated material from his contact list, including messages and images - some authentic and others manipulated. He cites a fabricated image showing him alongside Israel's founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, as one example.
The statement follows reports earlier in the day that the Iranian "Handala" hacker group claimed it had infiltrated Bennett's iPhone in what it called "Operation Octopus." Bennett has previously referred to Iran as "the head of the octopus" of threats facing Israel. He is widely seen as the leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in next year's elections and has already begun campaigning.
Topics: Iran, Israeli Politics
Reported by Sammy for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.