A large-scale cyberattack hit Israel's payment infrastructure on Monday, causing card readers and point-of-sale terminals to malfunction at numerous stores, supermarkets, and gas stations nationwide.
The attack targeted payment service providers that process card transactions, leading to widespread disruptions as customers were unable to complete purchases using credit and debit cards. Many businesses were forced to accept only cash payments or shut down operations temporarily.
Israeli cybersecurity officials indicated that the attack appears to be financially motivated rather than state-sponsored. Technical teams worked through the day to restore services and implement additional security measures.
"We detected unauthorized access attempts targeting our payment processing networks," said a spokesperson from one of the affected payment companies. "Our security protocols immediately isolated the threat, but this caused temporary outages across our merchant network."
The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in critical payment infrastructure. Small business owners reported losing sales during the outage. "We had to turn away customers who didn't carry cash. This really hurts our daily operations," said David Cohen, a Tel Aviv convenience store owner.
By Monday evening, most payment systems were restored to normal operation. The National Cyber Directorate advised businesses to update their security protocols and monitor for any suspicious activity.
This cyberattack follows several other digital disruptions targeting Israeli infrastructure in recent months. Cybersecurity experts recommend that businesses maintain backup payment options and regularly test their incident response procedures.
Authorities continue investigating the source and full scope of the attack while working to prevent similar incidents in the future.