A cyberattack targeted an Israeli clearing company on Sunday, disrupting credit card payments and leaving many unable to use their cards for several hours. The attack, attributed to an Iran-linked hacker group, follows a similar assault less than two weeks earlier that targeted another Israeli credit services provider.
The company targeted in this latest incident, Hyp, is a payment solutions provider used by various Israeli businesses, including Maccabi Health, Gett taxi service, Wolt food delivery, and the Rav Kav and Hop-On public transportation systems. The attack, identified as a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) assault, caused temporary disruptions to these services.
Hyp’s Credit Guard confirmed the cyberattack but reassured users that the issue had been resolved, and the system had returned to normal operation. The attack also affected Bit, a digital payment app operated by Bank Hapoalim, which is similar to the US-based Venmo.
According to data from cybersecurity firm Check Point, cyberattacks targeting Israeli companies have risen 100% over the past year, with the majority originating from Iran. A similar DDoS attack targeted the Automated Bank Services earlier last month, causing disruptions to various services relying on the company’s processing systems.
Neither the identity nor the specific motives of the attackers have been publicly disclosed, though the uptick in attacks is believed to be tied to geopolitical tensions, with Iranian-backed groups reportedly taking responsibility for both incidents.