Secret data related to Israel, Iron Dome, was stolen with the help of cyberattacks, which are suspected to have been instigated by the Chinese military.
According to a report by Cyber Engineering Services Inc. (CyberESI), a large volume of documents and data related to the innovative missile defense system were stolen from the corporate networks of three leading companies specializing in defense technology.
The companies involved are Elisra Group, Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which were targeted between October 2011 and August 2013 through phishing.
The attackers managed to penetrate the companies' systems, extracting important documents, such as PowerPoint presentations containing information about Iron Dome, but also about other advanced ballistic projects, such as the Arrow III missile.
According to CyberESI, the attacks originated in China, and are likely linked to a cyberespionage group, also known as the “Comment Crew”.
