Israel National Cyber Directorate Warns of Targeting Soldiers Using Publicly Available Information
Hostile groups are using social media to track and target Israeli soldiers by identifying publicly shared images from their military service. A recently discharged soldier who posted photos from Gaza and a vacation abroad, became a target of online incitement and threats
IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
A recently discharged Israeli soldier publicly posted on Instagram images from his military service, including photos from Gaza. Recently, during a vacation in Prague, he also shared photos from his trip. Hostile groups scanning social media for soldiers' images identified his posts, published his identity, and called on others online to locate and harm him abroad, accompanied by inciteful comments.
This case was shared by the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), which notes that additional cases were also identified. Now, it is urging social media users to make their profiles private, limit the sharing of personal information, and adopt protective measures.
According to INCD analysis, most of the information about soldiers’ photos from their service in Gaza, along with their personal details, was gathered from the public profiles of individuals who voluntarily uploaded such images. One page that incites against soldiers has gained about 163,000 followers on X (Twitter), 20,000 on Telegram, and recorded 213,589 interactions in October. While X has blocked some inciteful posts, others remain visible.
“Uploading photos and personal information to social media allows for the collection of significant data,” explains Dana Toren, Head of Operations at the Israel National Cyber Directorate. “Hostile actors use automated tools to scan public profiles, gather personal information such as photos, names, workplaces, and hobbies, and construct comprehensive profiles on individuals. While the collection process is simple, protecting oneself is just as straightforward: privacy settings, sharing content only with close friends, and refraining from posting sensitive information can stop this process before it starts.”
The potential for these images to be used to coordinate attacks or incite violence underscores the importance of strict privacy settings and caution when sharing any military-related content on social platforms. There might also be other implications, such as the privacy rights under international humanitarian law, and other legal implications concerning the ongoing war in Gaza.
The INCD has shared several recommendations for protecting one’s security online:
*Privacy Settings: Adjust your profiles so only friends can view your content. For example, activate "Profile Lock" on Facebook or make your Instagram profile private.
*Location Sharing: Avoid sharing your current location, especially while abroad. Review app permissions to ensure location sharing is disabled.
*Military Background: Protect photos from your military service. Not everyone needs access to them.
*Friend Requests: Be selective when approving followers or friends. Only approve people you know personally.
*Think Before Posting: Ensure your photos and posts don’t reveal sensitive information that could endanger you. Pay attention to the background in your photos.
*Two-Factor Authentication: Enable an additional verification step in apps like social media and WhatsApp to prevent unauthorized access.
