After an earlier denial, the office of former prime minister Naftali Bennett acknowledged Wednesday that while his cellphone itself was not hacked, unauthorized access was gained to his Telegram account, following claims by an Iran-linked hacker group that it had breached his device.

Images, contacts and other information claimed by the group to have been obtained from Bennett’s phone were published on a website alleged to be run by the Handala hacker group, and a link to download what it claimed was his list of phone contacts was shared by the account @Handala_Red on X. There was no way to confirm that the account and the website were run by the group claiming to have hacked the former prime minister’s phone.

The group also claimed to have left a message on Bennett’s phone, which was published on the website alleged to be linked to the group.

“Dear Naftali Bennett,” it read. “You once prided yourself on being a beacon of cybersecurity, parading your expertise before the world. Yet, how ironic that your own iPhone 13 has fallen so easily to the hands of Handala. For all your boasts and bravado, your digital fortress was nothing more than a paper wall waiting to be breached.”

“Consider this a warning and a lesson,” the message continued. “If your personal device........

© The Times of Israel