On Sunday, credit card readers across Israel experienced malfunctions due to a suspected cyberattack targeting the communications systems that support payment processing. The incident left customers at supermarkets and gas stations unable to make payments for approximately one hour.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the disruption was caused by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack aimed at the payment gateway provider Hyp’s CreditGuard product. The DDoS attack temporarily disabled communication between card terminals and the payment network but did not compromise payment or personal information. Hyp’s spokesperson confirmed the attack targeted certain services and communication providers, and was quickly mitigated.
While it is unclear who was responsible, reports from Channel 12 news and Army Radio suggested an Iran-linked hacker group might have claimed involvement, although this claim remains unverified. This incident follows a similar attack in October, where a DDoS attack on Sheba, another payment firm, led to a three-hour disruption in debit card processing.
Cyberattacks against Israel’s civilian infrastructure have escalated amid regional tensions, with politically motivated groups, including those affiliated with Iran, Hezbollah, and various hacktivist entities, often targeting vital systems. Beyond Israel, these groups have also affected civilian infrastructure internationally. Last year, for instance, a pro-Iran hacker group disrupted water access in western Ireland after targeting Israeli-made equipment.
The U.S. federal government has previously warned of the risks posed by vulnerabilities in Israeli-made programmable logic controllers (PLCs) widely used in critical infrastructure, especially in the water sector, emphasizing the ongoing need for enhanced cybersecurity measures.
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