A discussion at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) considered a hypothetical scenario of an Iranian cyberattack on the health systems in Israel and the United States as part of the escalation of recent months between Iran on the one hand, and Israel and the United States on the other hand. Participants disagreed as to the appropriate response. Most participants believed that the response to an Iranian cyberattack should be in the cyber and political realms and not invite broader escalation. Nonetheless, some argued...
In January 2020, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) hosted its 13th Annual International Conference. Entitled “Strategic Assessment for Israel: A Look at the Coming Decade,” the conference included discussions, simulations, and lectures on strategic issues important to Israel’s national security. The conference was attended by decision makers, opinion leaders, and leading researchers from Israel and abroad. We invite you to read the digital version of the booklet that summarizes the conference...
Iran and Syria recently signed an agreement to expand military and technological collaboration. President Bashar al-Assad met with Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, who came to Damascus for the signing ceremony, extended his support for the agreement, and declared that it reflects the high level of strategic and multi-dimensional ties between the countries. The agreement was formulated after many years of coordination and cooperation between Syria and Iran in the war against the rebels and the opposition in...
The involvement of foreign companies in strategic infrastructure in Israel is a complex economic-security issue that has recently been a subject of discussion between Israel and the United States. The regulation model for the Israeli electricity sector demonstrates how the influence of a single party on the country’s strategic infrastructure can be limited, be the party local or foreign. Decentralizing control and privatizing peripheral and operational infrastructure elements, while keeping the core of management and the other...
The United States is intensifying its pressure on allies not to install Chinese 5G communications infrastructure and may punish those that ignore its warning. At the same time, Huawei is at the center of political turmoil around the world, and some cellular providers have chosen Western alternatives rather than waiting for decisions by their governments about the use of Chinese technology. Although the Israeli government has not made any official pronouncement on this matter, the likelihood that Israeli 5G infrastructure will include...
The explosion on July 2, 2020 at the site for assembling advanced centrifuges in the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz dealt a blow to Iran’s plans to progress to more advanced stages in its nuclear project – although it will not prevent Iran’s continued accumulation of enriched uranium, which in principle shortens the Iranian timetable for obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iranian dilemma is whether to exercise restraint or to respond, and if it chooses to respond, how. Thus far, Israel has not been accused directly....
IDE Technologies, which specializes in water treatment solutions, won the bid for construction and operation of the Soreq 2 desalination plant. According to a May 24, 2020 Finance Ministry statement, the Israeli company was chosen over Hong Kong-based Hutchison on the basis of pricing considerations. The media, however, cast the decision as accession to a demand by the United States relayed during the recent visit to Israel by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who warned against Chinese involvement in infrastructures. Despite the sense...
In cyber warfare, an attack on essential civilian infrastructure is considered a serious attack. According to media reports, Iran attacked Israel’s water infrastructure, and Israel responded with a cyberattack against infrastructure at the Iranian port in Bandar Abbas. While these were not the first attacks between the two countries, they illustrate that the conflict theater includes essential civilian infrastructure. Israel has so far managed to deal with cyberattacks against civilian infrastructure without suffering much damage,...
The Chinese global “donation drive” in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis has sparked criticism of Beijing in the international arena. United States and international elements claim that China is using “mask diplomacy” intentionally, to leverage its contributions for political purposes. Indeed, it appears that both Chinese corporations and the Chinese government are exploiting the opportunity created by the pandemic with shipments of donated aid, partly as a way of posing an alternative to the United States as a global leader.
The coronavirus crisis has prompted Israel to take intelligence capabilities that were developed to combat hostile countries and terrorist organizations and – in unprecedented fashion – use them to collect and study data on the pandemic. Indeed, it has been shown that the intelligence community can potentially help in non-security areas. On the other hand, the penetration of the intelligence community into civilian space in Israel, particularly to track citizens, raises ethical dilemmas and legal issues. Overall, it appears...
While generally the advancement and development of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures is lauded as having the potential to open up a brave new world of positive cyber capacity, there is a decidedly darker underbelly to this potential currently underway. States like China aggressively market the transfer of advanced AI technology around the globe, particularly to allies across the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Far from just being about participating in the global economy or developing...
Autonomous systems based on artificial intelligence are playing an increasingly meaningful role in everyday life in a variety of fields, including industry, medicine, the economy, and security. Because they are computerized, these systems are exposed to coding errors, which may lead to incorrect decision making and the execution of unwanted actions. In addition, they are vulnerable to cyber attacks that may harm or completely suspend their activity. This article examines the risks posed to autonomous systems as a component of the...
