Israel says it repelled a wide-ranging cyberattack

Israel says it has repelled a large cyberattack on government offices and private citizens.

The national cyber bureau at the prime minister's office said Wednesday that hackers posed as a "legitimate organization" and targeted "about 120 organizations, government offices, public institutions and private citizens."

The Haaretz daily said Israel believes the attack was directed by a foreign country with a group of hackers.

It said the attack was aimed at infiltrating organizations involved in civilian research, development and "advanced technologies."

Israel established the national cyber bureau several years ago to coordinate its defense against attacks on its infrastructure and networks. Israel has established itself as a world leader in cyber technology innovation.