{ "id": "83a68a77-6d7d-424f-b07b-449153736015", "created_at": "2026-04-06T00:12:40.828227Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T13:12:35.29915Z", "deleted_at": null, "sha1_hash": "4eada8344992c7d6f6e99359caef246a68498793", "title": "Hamas cyber ops spied on hundreds of Israeli soldiers using fake World Cup, dating apps - Israel News", "llm_title": "", "authors": "", "file_creation_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "file_modification_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "file_size": 4718982, "plain_text": "Hamas cyber ops spied on hundreds of Israeli soldiers using fake\r\nWorld Cup, dating apps - Israel News\r\nBy Yaniv Kubovich\r\nPublished: 2018-07-03 · Archived: 2026-04-05 18:55:30 UTC\r\nCurrent section\r\n1. Israel News\r\nThe militant group managed to successfully plant malicious software and gather sensitive information about army\r\nbases near Gaza\r\nShare to FacebookShare to XComments: 1\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 1 of 12\n\nIsraeli military forces on the Gaza border, April, 2018. Credit: Eliyahu Hershkowitz\r\nIsraeli military forces on the Gaza border, April, 2018. Credit: Eliyahu Hershkowitz\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 2 of 12\n\nHamas managed to hack into the phones of hundreds of Israeli soldiers using dating and World Cup apps and\r\nmanaged to gather sensitive information about the military and some of its bases around the Gaza strip.\r\nThe apps allowed malicious software controlled by Hamas to be planted into Android smartphones, enabling\r\nmilitants in the Strip to access pictures, phone numbers and email addresses of soldiers posted close to the border,\r\nand even allowed Hamas to control the phones' cameras and microphones remotely.\r\n\u003e\u003e Israeli soldiers may still be vulnerable to Hamas hacking, intel officer says\r\nIn a number of cases, Hamas has been able to film what was happening on Israel Defense Forces bases without the\r\nsoldiers being aware their phones had been hacked. Beginning in January 2018, the military's information security\r\ndepartment has received complaints from soldiers and commanders about attempts by suspicious people on social\r\nnetworks recommending soldiers to download apps from the official Google Play Store. Soldiers who downloaded\r\nthe app immediately gave Hamas access to all the information on their phone.\r\nThe state of Israel\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 3 of 12\n\nHaaretz daily briefing: News \u0026 analysis\r\nBy signing up, I agree to the terms of use of the site, as well as to receive newsletters and subscription offers from\r\nHaaretz.\r\nOne of the apps used by Hamas was a dating app and the other is called “Golden Cup,” which provides real time\r\ninformation on this year’s World Cup.\r\nOne of the apps used by Hamas. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit\r\nOne of the apps used by Hamas. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit\r\nThe military began examining these apps and swiftly discovered that Hamas was behind them, and that it was\r\noperating fake Facebook profiles to build trust with soldiers since 2017 to get the soldiers to download the apps.\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 4 of 12\n\nThe operation by the unit responsible for information security was dubbed \"operation broken heart.\"\r\nHamas also used a fitness app to identify the phone numbers of soldiers who went jogging near the Gaza border.\r\nThe minute Hamas had these numbers, it began sending the soldiers, and others, requests to download their\r\n\"Trojan Horse\" apps.\r\nEven though the damage was discovered relatively quickly, only a few weeks after the militants started to hack\r\ninto the soldiers' phones, Hamas still succeeded in gathering information on a number of Israeli bases and the\r\narmored vehicles on those bases.\r\nIn recent years, Hamas has been making great efforts in the area of cyber hacking and information gathering and\r\nin attempting to acquire information from Israeli soldiers, sources in the cyber security sector say.\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 5 of 12\n\nYehiyeh Sinwar, the Hamas militant group's leader in the Gaza Strip, speaks to foreign\r\ncorrespondents, in his office in Gaza City, Thursday, May 10, 2018 Credit: Khalil Hamra/AP\r\nYehiyeh Sinwar, the Hamas militant group's leader in the Gaza Strip, speaks to foreign\r\ncorrespondents, in his office in Gaza City, Thursday, May 10, 2018 Credit: Khalil Hamra/AP\r\nThe latest attacks on smartphones, using the official apps on the Google Play Store, social media profiles testifies\r\nto Hamas’ ability to improve its tactics. Some in the industry describe Hamas as the most developed non-state\r\norganization in cyber security.\r\n“Today, for a few tens of thousands of dollars, it is possible to get hackers from Eastern European and Asian\r\ncountries who can carry out cyber attacks on a very high level,” says Nitzan Ziv, vice president for cyber security\r\nat Check Point. “An organization that wants to attack Israel and has the relevant information on soldiers can do so\r\nindependently and can turn to people in those same countries. We know how to say with certainty today that this is\r\nsomething that happens,” Ziv added.\r\nClick the alert icon to follow topics:\r\nIn the News\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 6 of 12\n\nConvicted Sex Offender Rabbi Allowed to Sidestep Western Wall Restrictions\r\nAt Israel's Anti-war Protests, You're Safer as a Horse Than a Human\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 7 of 12\n\nIsraeli Airstrikes in Lebanon Kill at Least 11 on Easter Sunday\r\nIsraeli Coalition MKs Urge to Occupy South Lebanon, Evacuate Entire Population\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 8 of 12\n\nFormer Chief Rabbi: God Will 'Kill' Israeli Justices for Ruling on the Sabbath\r\nRemembering and rebuilding two years later\r\nICYMI\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 9 of 12\n\nIn Iran, the Netanyahu Doctrine Is Now Facing Its Ultimate Test\r\nDeconstructing J Street's Spoiled, Delusional, Immoral Hostility to the Iran War\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 10 of 12\n\nWhat Caused 'First Pogrom'? New Study Points to a Lurid Personal Rivalry\r\n'Barbaric': Iran War Is Damaging One of the Most Beautiful Cities in the World\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 11 of 12\n\n'Cut Off From His People': When the the Son of Zionism's Father Left Judaism\r\nKhamenei's Chosen Successor Could Offer Trump a 'Dream Deal' to End the Iran War\r\nSource: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773\r\nPage 12 of 12\n\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773 \nIsraeli military forces on the Gaza border, April, 2018. Credit: Eliyahu Hershkowitz\nIsraeli military forces on the Gaza border, April, 2018. Credit: Eliyahu Hershkowitz\n Page 2 of 12 \n\n https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773 \nWhat Caused 'First Pogrom'? New Study Points to a Lurid Personal Rivalry\n'Barbaric': Iran War Is Damaging One of the Most Beautiful Cities in the World\n Page 11 of 12", "extraction_quality": 1, "language": "EN", "sources": [ "Malpedia" ], "origins": [ "web" ], "references": [ "https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773" ], "report_names": [ "hamas-cyber-ops-spied-on-israeli-soldiers-using-fake-world-cup-app-1.6241773" ], "threat_actors": [ { "id": "75108fc1-7f6a-450e-b024-10284f3f62bb", "created_at": "2024-11-01T02:00:52.756877Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:05.273746Z", "deleted_at": null, "main_name": "Play", "aliases": null, "source_name": "MITRE:Play", "tools": [ "Nltest", "AdFind", "PsExec", "Wevtutil", "Cobalt Strike", "Playcrypt", "Mimikatz" ], "source_id": "MITRE", "reports": null }, { "id": "7c8cf02c-623a-4793-918b-f908675a1aef", "created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:38.309165Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:02.921721Z", "deleted_at": null, "main_name": "APT15", "aliases": [ "Metushy", "Lurid", "Social Network Team", "Royal APT", "BRONZE DAVENPORT", "BRONZE IDLEWOOD", "VIXEN PANDA", "Ke3Chang", "Playful Dragon", "BRONZE PALACE", "G0004", "Red Vulture", "Nylon Typhoon" ], "source_name": "MISPGALAXY:APT15", "tools": [], "source_id": "MISPGALAXY", "reports": null } ], "ts_created_at": 1775434360, "ts_updated_at": 1775826755, "ts_creation_date": 0, "ts_modification_date": 0, "files": { "pdf": "https://archive.orkl.eu/4eada8344992c7d6f6e99359caef246a68498793.pdf", "text": "https://archive.orkl.eu/4eada8344992c7d6f6e99359caef246a68498793.txt", "img": "https://archive.orkl.eu/4eada8344992c7d6f6e99359caef246a68498793.jpg" } }