By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Publication Date: 2026-10-05 13:22:00
Israel ranked second in the world, and first in the Middle East, in Microsoft’s index of observed cyberattacks, according to the company’s 2026 Digital Defense Report published on Thursday.
The United States ranked first with 531 observed events, while Israel had 210. Taiwan and Japan follow with 193 and 172, respectively, before a significant drop-off with the United Kingdom in fifth place.
The report also mentioned that Israel experienced a 21% surge in ransomware attacks since 2025.
Iran is considered to be a major source of Israel’s cyber incidents, the report mentioned, noting that the Islamic regime is known to be conducting broad, multi-layered campaigns against Israel and other adversaries throughout the Middle East, especially since the start of the US-Israeli war.
The report also said that the Iranian forces have recently expanded cyber and influence operations designed to target and disrupt military and information activities, while attempting to expand “strategic messaging…