In a startling revelation, Israel's National Cyber Directorate (INCD) Director, Yossi Karadi, disclosed in an exclusive interview with The Jerusalem Post that hackers have stolen an astonishing 2 petabytes of data from Israelis in recent years. This staggering figure, equivalent to the digital content of 100 National Libraries of Israel, highlights the escalating cyber threats facing the nation. But here's where it gets controversial: while the public may be aware of the magnitude of these hacks, the true extent of the damage is yet to be fully understood.
The cyber-attacking threat has evolved rapidly, with hackers now operating at the petabyte level, a realm previously uncharted. To put this into perspective, the entire National Library of Israel, a digital behemoth, only occupies 20 trillion bytes. This means that hackers have effectively seized the equivalent of 100 such libraries worth of data.
The INCD's Director also revealed a 35% increase in phishing cyber attacks in 2025 and a 170% jump in cyber influence attacks. Phishing attacks, a common tactic, involve social engineering attempts to trick targets into revealing financial information or clicking on malicious links. Cyber influence attacks, on the other hand, aim to manipulate public opinion rather than steal funds or data.
One of the most notorious examples of cyber influence is Russia's alleged attempt to sway the 2016 US presidential election. However, investigators concluded that Donald Trump would have likely won the election regardless.
The INCD and the Shin Bet recently issued a warning to the Israeli public about a campaign of sophisticated cyber attacks targeting government officials, security personnel, academics, and media figures since mid-2025. The INCD attributes much of this surge in cyber attacks to Iranian intelligence.
Israel, currently the third most targeted country by hackers globally, is not alone in facing these threats. In August-September 2025, the British automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) suffered one of the most economically damaging cyber attacks in history, resulting in a loss of nearly two billion pounds. This attack caused a month-long production shutdown, disrupted supply chains for thousands of businesses, and required government intervention to keep JLR afloat financially.
To bolster Israel's cyber defenses, Director Karadi is advocating for a new comprehensive cyber law. This law would define the INCD's powers and the private sector's responsibilities in safeguarding critical infrastructure. The proposed bill, introduced on January 25, mandates that critical infrastructure providers and government agencies adhere to a minimum of 63 cyber defense requirements, many of which are based on standards set by top cyber agencies like the US's National Institute of Standards and Technology.
In the event of 'grave' cyber threats, companies would be obligated to report to the INCD in real-time if they have been hacked. Director Karadi, who took office a year ago, is optimistic that the bill will pass the Knesset in March, allowing for its potential adoption as law before the upcoming election season, which begins by mid-summer at the latest.
This article is the first in a series based on Karadi's interview with The Jerusalem Post, offering a glimpse into the complex world of cyber security and the challenges facing nations in the digital age.
