Boris Belodubrovsky: So, we’re back and talking about cybersecurity—more precisely, cybersecurity in light of what happened yesterday. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett admitted that Iranian hackers compromised his Telegram channel.
Hundreds and thousands of messages and phone numbers were published, including personal contacts of leaders of various countries, correspondence with security services, and materials related to national security.
What happened: the hack of the former Israeli PM’s Telegram
Ilya Shatkhin: Let me start by repeating a phrase I’ve been saying for many years: there is no such thing as a secure system. Moreover, I said this in this very studio several years ago.
Not just Telegram was hacked—the phone itself
The published materials include iPhone 13 logs, the phone book, SMS messages, and private chats. Telegram does not transmit or encrypt SMS, which means the smartphone itself was compromised.
Phone numbers of high-ranking officials have already been published, including Benjamin Netanyahu, Isaac Herzog, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of Argentina. Publishing such data is a criminal offense.
Why secure messengers do not exist
Telegram is not hacked by “hacker magic,” but because the user themselves grants access—through infected files, applications, or system vulnerabilities.
Is user action required for a hack?
Today, active user actions are not required. Modern malware operates passively. If such tools used to cost tens of thousands of dollars, today they are available for a few hundred.
Two-factor authentication and passwords
Face ID, passwords, and two-factor protection do not guarantee safety. It can be enough to open a chat with an image—the malicious code can be embedded even in a JPEG file.
Why feature phones are safer
Feature phones are not hacked because they have no internet connectivity. The smarter the device, the more vulnerable it is.
Cyberattacks as a form of modern terrorism
Cyberattacks are used for intimidation and pressure. However, legally they are still not equated with terrorism and are rarely punished.
Can a phone compromise be detected?
There are indirect signs: overheating, spontaneous reboots, freezes. However, most sophisticated attacks are not detected by standard tools.
Israel as a cyber power
Israel is one of the world’s cybersecurity centers, but defense always lags behind offense. It is a constant technological arms race.
Conclusion
- There are no secure systems
- The smartphone is the primary point of vulnerability
- Mass compromises have become the norm
- Cyberattacks are a form of modern terrorism