French cybercrimes team called in after Israeli athletes’ data leak

PARIS - France’s cybercrime unit is pushing to get private data on several Israeli athletes competing in the Paris Olympic Games removed from social media, police sources said on July 27.

Data, including blood test results and login credentials, were published on Telegram on July 26 in an apparent doxxing cyber attack, the sources said.

Doxxing is the malicious publication of private details online.

Hackers also leaked personal information revealing Israeli athletes’ military status on social media on July 25.

The doxxing activity was reported to Pharos, which is part of France’s Anti-Cybercrime Office (Ofac).

That led Ofac to start action to get the relevant platforms to remove the data, said a source close to the case.

Israel on July 25 warned France of potential threats from Iran-backed groups against Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Olympic Games.

“There are those who seek to harm the festivities of this joyous event,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz told his French counterpart in a letter, copies of which were released to the media.

“We currently have assessments of potential threats from Iranian terror affiliates and other terrorist organisations aiming to carry out terror attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics.”

France has mounted a vast security operation to ensure the Olympics – which began on July 26 and end on Aug 11 – are safe.

Around 18,000 French troops, in addition to regular police, have been deployed to secure the Games.

In a statement on July 25, the Israeli embassy accused Iran of being behind a cyber campaign to send social media threats to intimidate the Israeli delegation.

In an address to the US Congress on July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a global alliance against the Iranian “axis of terror”.

Iran hailed

the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel,

but said it was not involved in it. AFP