Israeli media have reported that Iranian hackers have leaked personal information and addresses of Israeli gun owners, as well as data from the police, the Ministry of Internal Security, and security companies.
According to a report published by the Haaretz newspaper on Sunday, Iranian hackers released tens of thousands of documents stolen from the Israeli police, the National Security Ministry, and private security firms in Israel earlier in February. The leaked information includes extensive personal details of armed security officers and the locations of weapon depots in government establishments.
Haaretz claims that the Iranian cyber group Hanzala has taken responsibility for the hacking of the Internal Security Ministry’s systems. The group has posted several screenshots of firearm licenses and threatened to release 4 terabytes of data. In February, they made a smaller release of about 40 gigabytes.
The report states that the group targeted kindergartens in Israel in January, exploiting vulnerabilities in a private company’s infrastructure to disrupt public address systems at least 20 times and infiltrate emergency systems.
The leaked data includes the identities and addresses of thousands of Israelis who possess easily accessible firearms. Just hours after the leak was made public, the Israeli police categorically denied that the information came from their systems, stating, “After a thorough investigation, we found no evidence that an external party has accessed the police information systems. There are no signs of breach or data leakage in the police databases.”
Allegedly, the over 100,000 leaked files originated from various sources, including the police’s Security and Licensing Division, the Ministry of Internal Security’s Firearm Licensing Division, and private security firms.
It is noted that the Licensing Department is currently being investigated by the special police unit “Lahav 433” regarding the unauthorized issuance of firearm licenses. Personnel from the office of former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as well as staff members from the Licensing Department, have been questioned as part of the investigation.
According to the report, the leaked files include very recent documents covering the last two years and hundreds pertaining to the year 2025. They may also contain sensitive details such as the identity, address, photograph, military and health history of gun owners, type of firearms, number of rounds in possession, and whether the weapons are stored at home.
The confiscated files also include extensive personal information about armed security officers, including their training, firearm licenses, and internal documents from security and protection companies. The files also contain permits for conducting advanced shooting courses in the names of various licensed shooting ranges.
Haaretz reports that Israel has faced an “unprecedented wave of cyberattacks” since the outbreak of the Gaza war. The summary report from the National Cyber Directorate for 2024 highlighted a significant increase in leaks and attacks related to malicious operations.
The report noted: “This year, 900 posts targeting the Israeli economy were observed on platforms like Telegram, with 500 leaked data files related to Israel being published online and on the dark web. These releases are part of the enemy’s efforts to shape public opinion in Israel.”