17-year-old locates radar systems, arms depots through breach on IDF website -- TV

Report says teen accessed sensitive data about military projects before reporting breach to national cyber directorate, which alerted the military

A 17-year-old boy was able to access sensitive information on IDF radar systems and arms depots in communities along Israel’s borders through a breach on a military website, Israeli television reported Monday.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, the teenager — who it identified as high-schooler Shai Malul — discovered the breach while on the Home Front Command’s National Emergency Portal, leading him to a separate site that also contained information on thermal cameras in the communities, among other military projects.

The report said Malul, who works at a small tech start-up, alerted the Israel National Cyber Directorate after consulting with his managers. The INCD in turn informed the Israel Defense Forces, which closed the breached.

“The Home Front Command’s National Emergency Portal was not breached. That was another site, which is in the programming and building stages,” the IDF said in response.

The military said the information was taken down the same day it was informed of the breach.

“The rules have been clarified to prevent similar incidents,” it added.

The report did not include any comment from Malul.

Earlier in the day, the broadcaster released a preview of an investigative report due to be aired Tuesday saying Israeli security officials knew for over a year than an Iranian hacker group had had seized control of dozens of security cameras, but did nothing to stop it.