Cyber Incident Victim: Keshet 12
Date:
Nov 2016
Location:
Israel
Summary
Two major Israeli news channels experienced a cyberattack during which their live broadcasts were interrupted by a 30-second clip displaying Muslim holy sites, Quranic scriptures, and the sound of the Islamic call to prayer (Adhan). The intrusion occurred amid parliamentary preparations to vote on legislation seeking to ban amplified Adhan recitations, with hackers overlaying Hebrew messages including "God is the greatest" and references to wildfires that had recently impacted the country. The incident, claimed by hackers opposing the proposed ban, temporarily disrupted regular programming and highlighted tensions surrounding the controversial bill promoted by a right-wing political party.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On November 29, 2016, during evening programming, Israeli television channels Channel 2 and Channel 10 experienced unauthorized intrusions into their broadcast systems. Attackers interrupted regular transmissions for approximately 30 seconds, replacing content with imagery of Muslim holy sites accompanied by Quranic verses and the audible Muslim call to prayer (Adhan). Simultaneously, Hebrew text messages appeared on screen stating "God is the greatest," "God’s punishment," and "the fire that inflames the heart." The intrusion occurred on the eve of a preliminary Knesset vote regarding proposed legislation to ban amplified Adhan broadcasts in Israel, with parliamentary proceedings scheduled for November 30. Technical details regarding the intrusion vector remain unspecified in available reporting, though the breach affected two major private broadcast networks simultaneously. Channel 2 publicly confirmed the incident via Twitter, acknowledging hackers had compromised their news program. No immediate containment measures or restoration timelines were disclosed in source material.
The incident directly coincided with legislative consideration of a bill sponsored by the Jewish Home party that sought to prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers for early morning and nighttime Adhan calls, citing noise pollution concerns. Authorities had recently amended the legislation to exempt Jewish Sabbath sirens from restrictions. The broadcast intrusion's messaging referenced wildfires that had recently caused mass evacuations in Israel, implicitly connecting natural disasters to political actions. While no group claimed responsibility, reporting indicated suspicion of Muslim hacker involvement motivated by opposition to the proposed ban. The hack generated immediate public attention through both its live broadcast disruption and subsequent media coverage, though no long-term technical or financial impacts were documented. Legislative proceedings continued as scheduled the following day despite the incident, maintaining focus on the contentious policy debate surrounding religious sound ordinances.