Cyber Incident Victim: Channel 10
Date:
Nov 2016
Location:
Israel
Summary
Two Israeli news channels experienced a broadcast intrusion during which regular programming was replaced with a 30-second clip displaying Muslim holy sites, Quranic scriptures, and the sound of the Islamic call to prayer (Adhan), accompanied by Hebrew messages including "God is the greatest" and references to wildfires. The attack occurred amid parliamentary preparations to vote on a controversial bill seeking to ban amplified Adhan broadcasts, which Muslim communities opposed as discriminatory. The hackers' actions were interpreted as a protest against both the proposed legislation and recent wildfires that had displaced residents, though no group claimed responsibility. The incident temporarily disrupted Channel 10 and another major broadcaster during prime-time viewing.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On November 29, 2016, during evening programming, Israeli news broadcasters Channel 2 and Channel 10 experienced a cyber intrusion that disrupted their regular transmissions. Attackers replaced scheduled content with a 30-second clip displaying imagery of Muslim holy sites accompanied by Quranic scriptures and the audible Muslim call to prayer (Adhan). The interruption occurred on the eve of a preliminary parliamentary vote scheduled for November 30 on a contentious bill proposing to ban the use of loudspeakers for broadcasting the Adhan in Israel, citing noise pollution concerns. During the breach, Hebrew text messages appeared onscreen translating to phrases including "God is the greatest," "God’s punishment," and "the fire that inflames the heart." These statements were interpreted as allusions to widespread wildfires that had recently impacted Israel, causing significant evacuations and challenging firefighting efforts. The hack’s timing aligned directly with heightened political tensions surrounding the proposed legislation, which had been amended days earlier to exclude Jewish religious practices such as sirens marking the Sabbath.
Channel 2 publicly confirmed the incident via Twitter, acknowledging hackers had compromised their broadcast to air the call to prayer. The attack remained confined to the two private news channels, with no reported lateral spread to other systems or prolonged disruption beyond the brief transmission hijacking. The bill under consideration, sponsored by the right-wing Jewish Home party, faced opposition from Muslim communities who viewed the proposed Adhan restrictions as discriminatory. While the hackers’ identity was not formally verified, the context and content suggested a politically motivated response to the legislative effort. The incident drew attention to intersecting cybersecurity vulnerabilities and socioreligious tensions, though no direct technical details regarding intrusion methods, attribution evidence, or subsequent security remediation measures were disclosed publicly. Wildfires referenced in the hackers’ messages had previously necessitated the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, compounding national disruptions during this period.