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An alleged Iranian cyberattack breached the emergency button system of Israeli company Maagar-Tec on Sunday, triggering rocket sirens, Arabic messages and terror-supporting songs across 20 kindergartens and educational institutions nationwide.
The attackers, identified as the Iranian hacker group "Handala," claimed responsibility for the breach. They reportedly exploited Maagar-Tec's interfaces, responsible for emergency button systems, to carry out the coordinated attack.
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The system that was breached
(Video: Social media)
In addition to disrupting schools, the hackers sent tens of thousands of fear-inducing text messages to citizens by accessing a database linked to the company. Authorities instructed affected institutions to disconnect their devices from power until the situation is resolved.
Maagar-Tech issued a statement confirming ongoing maintenance on its website, which remains temporarily inaccessible. Meanwhile, the National Cyber Directorate reported it is working closely with Maagar-Tech and the Ministry of Education to restore systems safely.
“Earlier this morning, the National Cyber Directorate received reports of a breach involving emergency buttons installed in several kindergartens. Investigations revealed that a cyber group had accessed the private supplier's system, using it to broadcast terror-supporting songs and alarm sounds,” a spokesperson said.
The investigation confirmed the attack affected around 20 kindergartens. Additionally, another interface of the same supplier was used to send mass fear-mongering messages to citizens.
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The National Cyber Directorate advised municipal system administrators using Maagar-Tec’s emergency buttons to update their passwords with more complex options. Citizens who received text messages were urged to block and ignore the content, reassuring the public that the messages do not harm mobile devices.
“The incident is currently under containment,” the directorate noted, adding it remains in communication with Maagar-Tec and the Education Ministry to ensure the systems are secured.