The Cardinal group, a pro-Russian hacktivist collective operating within the broader “Russian Legion” alliance, claims to have breached the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the national military organization responsible for defending the State of Israel. Cybersecurity researchers assess Cardinal to be a state-aligned threat actor known for disruptive operations and psychological warfare. In their latest statement, the group asserts that it has completely deactivated critical air defense systems in the central region, specifically targeting Tel Aviv with a “full blackout” while claiming to have deliberately left Jerusalem untouched.
According to the actor, the allegedly compromised systems and data include:
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Iron Dome missile defense systems
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RADA Defense radar networks
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Air defense detection signals
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Radar coordinates
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Server control interfaces
