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Protestors light flares during a demonstration against measures to battle the coronavirus pandemic in Vienna, Austria, on Dec. 11, 2021. New research indicates that far-right extremists and white supremacists are gaining new followers and influence by co-opting conspiracy theories about COVID-19. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File)

December 17, 2021, 6:01 pm

Far-right using antisemitic COVID-19 theories to grow reach, study shows

‘The Jews own COVID just like all of Hollywood,’ says one online poster on Telegram; campaign also frequently contains hate speech directed at Asians and women

By David Klepper and Lori Hinnant

Illustrative: Hadassah Ein Kerem medical staff work in the coronavirus ward of the hospital in Jerusalem, on August 25, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

November 2, 2021, 11:55 pm

Black Shadow hackers leak medical records of 290,000 Israeli patients

After releasing full database of LGBTQ dating website, Iran-linked group publishes directory from Machon Mor medical institute including information on treatments and appointments

By TOI staff

Illustrative: Participants take part in the annual Jerusalem Gay Pride parade, on August 2, 2018. (AFP Photo/Menahem Kahana)

November 2, 2021, 6:22 pm

Hackers claim to leak details of LGBTQ dating site after ransom not paid

Iran-linked Black Shadow group says it released full database of Atraf website, after owners failed to pay $1 million; calls to LGBTQ helpline double following hack

By TOI staff

A man looks at a video on an Israeli website that was hacked by Iran-based hackers group calling itself 'Hacking Saviours', at an office in Jerusalem on May 21, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

October 31, 2021, 11:13 pm

Israel cyber authority says it warned hosting company it was vulnerable to hack

National Cyber Directorate told CyberServer ‘several times’ it could be targeted, ahead of Black Shadow hackers’ personal data breach of Israeli LGBT site and others

By TOI staff and AFP

Illustrative: The messaging app Telegram is displayed on a smartphone. (AP Photo)

October 31, 2021, 7:28 pm

Suspected Iran-linked hackers’ Telegram account blocked after ransom demand

Black Shadow group’s channels are removed shortly after it sought payment within 48 hours to block data leak from Israeli sites

By TOI staff

Screen capture from an Israel Police video showing images and videos of hundreds of naked women and minors that were allegedly traded by a suspect on the Telegram app without their knowledge, October 2021. (Israel Police)

October 11, 2021, 6:51 pm

Man arrested for selling images of naked women, girls online without consent

Suspect, 21, accused of trading media featuring hundreds of victims, including dozens of minors, on Telegram

By Stuart Winer

The website of the Telegram messaging app is seen on a computer screen in Moscow, Russia. (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

July 5, 2021, 2:38 pm

4 arrested for selling nude images, videos of women, teens without their consent

Victims include female minors and celebrities; police say they used technology to overcome anonymizing on Telegram, Discord platforms; one of the suspects is an IDF soldier

By TOI staff

Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the prime minister's official residence in Jerusalem on June 5, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

From the WebJuly 1, 2021, 11:00 am

An Iranian disinformation campaign was behind an anti-Netanyahu Telegram group

Iranian agents infiltrated small Israeli messaging groups, escaping the notice of social media giants and authorities, the New York Times reports

Screen capture of a Malaysian website annoucing the hack of a database containing the details of hundreds of thousands of Israeli students in higher education institutues. (DragaonForce)

June 27, 2021, 7:02 pm

Pro-Palestinian hackers steal info on hundreds of thousands of Israeli students

Malaysian hacking group calling itself DragonForce distributes information on Telegram app, including names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses

By Stuart Winer

In this January 6, 2021, photo, Trump supporters gather outside the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

February 23, 2021, 3:59 pm

Extremists turn elsewhere after social media giants’ crackdown

Vaccine conspiracy movements, militia groups, white supremacists and Trump supporters seek refuge in unregulated platforms; Twitter purges 70,000 accounts

By Julie JAMMOT

An advertisement from WhatsApp is seen in a newspaper at a stall in New Delhi on January 13, 2021. (Sajjad Hussain/AFP)

January 13, 2021, 11:32 am

WhatsApp stresses privacy as users flock to rivals

Facebook-owned messaging app denies new terms of service will make it less secure: ‘We can’t see your private messages or hear your calls’

By AFP

The offices of Shirbit insurance company, December 4, 2020 (Screen grab/Kan)

December 5, 2020, 1:58 pm

Hackers release more private documents as Israeli insurer refuses to pay ransom

Cybercriminals publish sensitive data as second deadline passes; hackers deny company’s insinuation of anti-Israel rather than financial motive for attack

By TOI staff

Illustrative: Hacker using laptop on abstract binary code map background. (Peshkov/ iStock, by Getty Images)

December 4, 2020, 3:12 pm

‘Be a mensch’: Hackers leak negotiation texts as Israeli insurer refuses ransom

Cybercriminals release sensitive data as Shirbit laments ‘terrorism,’ claims attack is meant to cause strategic harm with no financial motive; talks appear to show otherwise

By TOI staff

Morad Hassan (left) and Yoel Rozenkier play two men meeting on a dating app in 'Borders,' a play that went virtual during the coronavirus (Courtesy Nimrod Danishman)

October 14, 2020, 12:09 pm

A play about gay men on Grindr goes virtual during COVID-19

‘Borders,’ Nimrod Danishman’s production about an Israeli-Lebanese couple, is adapted for the phone app Telegram this week

By Jessica Steinberg

The victims of the distribution of nude photos in Telegram groups include women of all ages and from all walks of life (Archive photo: Flash90)

June 16, 2020, 10:30 pm

Police arrest suspects accused of sharing nude photos of celebrities, minors

Thousands believed to have accessed photographs on Telegram app; minors among the hundreds of female victims

By TOI staff