A sophisticated hacker group with alleged ties to Iranian intelligence has launched a major cyber intrusion targeting prominent Jewish figures in Australia, escalating concerns about foreign-backed digital intimidation and transnational repression.
According to security and intelligence assessments, the group known as the Handala Hack Team has claimed responsibility for breaching the personal data of former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, using the cyberattack as a platform to leak sensitive contact details of several high-profile Australian Jewish leaders. Among those affected are former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Jeremy Leibler, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia.
The hackers released the material overnight, issuing a threatening message addressed to Bennett that warned of vulnerability and promised further disruption. Bennett later confirmed that a Telegram account associated with him had been compromised, while stressing that his personal phone had not been hacked.
Cyber threat intelligence agencies in multiple Five Eyes countries have previously linked Handala to Iranian state-aligned cyber units. Canada’s Rapid Response Mechanism, which monitors foreign cyber interference, has described the group’s activities as a form of “digital transnational repression”, aimed at intimidating critics and silencing political or community leaders beyond Iran’s borders.
Experts warn that hack-and-leak operations of this nature are designed not only to embarrass targets but also to endanger personal safety, influence public opinion and destabilise democratic societies. Past Handala-linked attacks have reportedly included cyber operations against journalists critical of the Iranian regime and infrastructure disruptions inside Israel, including kindergartens and emergency systems.
Speaking at Bondi Beach following the recent terror attack, Josh Frydenberg said that repeated incidents of doxxing, riots and attacks on Jewish institutions had not been met with sufficient action in the past, underscoring the growing sense of insecurity within Australia’s Jewish community.
Australian authorities, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Federal Police, have been approached for comment as investigations continue into the scope and intent of the cyber breach.
