Tool of First Resort: Israel-Hamas War in Cyber

This report from Google’s Threat Analysis Group, Mandiant, and Trust & Safety outlines an escalation in offensive cyber operations following the October 7 Hamas attacks, highlighting Iranian-government-backed phishing campaigns, hack-and-leak and information operations, and disruptive attacks by Iran- and Hezbollah-linked groups; it frames cyber activity as a lower-cost, lower-risk 'tool of first resort' used to gather intelligence, disrupt daily life, and shape public perceptions, and notes Google’s tracking and protective measures.