Israeli authorities investigate alleged Iranian-linked data breach targeting gun owners

Israeli authorities and media have reported a significant data breach allegedly linked to Iran, exposing sensitive information about thousands of Israeli gun owners. According to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Sunday, tens of thousands of documents were leaked online in early February. The leaked data, some of which dates as recently as 2025, reportedly originates from databases maintained by the Israeli police and the National Security Ministry.

Cybersecurity experts from the US-based firm databreach.com, which collaborated with Haaretz on the investigation, stated that the compromised information includes the identities, addresses, and firearm details of numerous Israeli gun owners.

The severity of the breach has drawn comparisons to a previous Justice Ministry data leak, with researchers at databreach.com describing the exposure as equally grave. The disclosed records allegedly contain personal data on private gun owners as well as armed security personnel, information about weapons storage facilities in public institutions, and details related to the location of arms and munitions.

Despite these claims, Israeli police have denied that the breach originated from their systems. In an official statement, police authorities asserted that a comprehensive review had found no evidence of external access or unauthorized data leaks. However, Haaretz reported that over 100,000 documents appear to be linked to the Police Security and Licensing Division, the National Security Ministry’s Firearm Licensing Department, and private security firms that collaborate with these entities.

Adding to the controversy, the Firearm Licensing Department is already under scrutiny in an unrelated investigation by the police anti-corruption unit. The department has faced allegations of unauthorized gun permit distribution, and several employees, including those from the office of former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have reportedly been questioned in connection with the probe.

The leaked files include a wide range of sensitive information, such as full names, home addresses, photographs, military and medical records, firearm types, ammunition inventories, and weapons storage locations. Additionally, police ID cards, evaluations of security personnel, training records, and internal documents from private security firms were allegedly part of the leak.

Israeli sources claim that the hackers, identified as Iranian operatives, signaled their access to the data as early as December by publishing screenshots of certain documents. Despite this early warning, Haaretz reports that some of the leaked records are from as recently as three weeks before the publication of the news, suggesting that the hackers may have maintained continued access even after the breach was publicly disclosed.

The breach has ignited concerns over the potential misuse of the leaked information. Security analysts warn that the exposure of gun owner identities could make them targets for criminal groups or hostile actors seeking to obtain firearms. However, given the high rate of firearm possession in Israeli society, experts note that the broader implications of the leak remain difficult to assess fully.