Israeli Cyber Defense Week Kicks Off with Nationwide Activities Led by the National Cyber Directorate
This special week will include various activities such as the “Cyber Ambassadors” middle school program, social media protection exercises, and phishing simulations
Illustration: Sora Shimazaki via Pexels.com
Israeli Cyber Defense Week began yesterday (Sunday) with a variety of activities across the country, led by the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD). Taking place from February 16 to 20 as part of the National Month for Children's Online Protection, the week aims to raise awareness of cyber threats and ways to mitigate them, with a focus on younger generations.
The week features awareness initiatives such as school lectures, phishing drills, an educational campaign, and cyber defense exercises. Activities are conducted in collaboration with the IDF, the ORT network, Microsoft, the 105 emergency hotline, the National Student Council, and other organizations. This year's central theme is "Social Networks: Cyber and Hostile Content," under the slogan "Keeping the Web Clean."
Key Activities:
"Cyber Ambassadors" Program – Forty eighth-grade students from the ORT network have undergone training at Microsoft and the National Cyber Directorate to serve as awareness agents for their peers. Throughout the week, they will teach classes on the dangers of social media, hostile content, and cybersecurity practices to approximately 150 classrooms across the ORT network.
Social Media Protection Initiative with the National Student Council – High school students nationwide will be encouraged to take two simple actions to significantly enhance their social media security.
Phishing Exercises – Various organizations will participate in phishing simulations throughout the week, receiving deceptive messages with suspicious-looking links. The exercise serves as a direct way to highlight the importance of recognizing and avoiding such threats.
Additionally, organizations including the IDF and several government ministries will mark the week with awareness initiatives, alongside a broad public awareness campaign launched by the National Cyber Directorate on social media.
Gabi Portnoy, Head of the Israel National Cyber Directorate: "We see the younger generation as agents of change—not only growing up with greater awareness of online threats but also passing on their knowledge to older generations. Israeli Cyber Defense Week is a peak moment in our ongoing awareness efforts throughout the year. These initiatives are essential and an integral part of Israel’s cyber defense capabilities, as adversaries and cybercriminals continuously target the human link in the security chain."
