The IDF's Information Security Department, in recent days, took down a system of avatars that was operating on the internet to collect intelligence on IDF forces and activities.
The system of dozens of fake profiles was run by Axis states with the intention of gathering information for Hamas.
The profiles use authentic photos and start romantic relationships through various ways of communication, such as texting, voice messages, and video calls. Each avatar has a network of avatars of parents, siblings, and friends to enhance their credibility.
The network includes dozens of profiles on social media, especially Instagram, and its potential targets are hundreds of enlisted and reserve soldiers. In addition to the IDF's effort to thwart these profiles, there is also a diplomatic channel to catch and block these profiles.
The head of the IDF's Information Security Department, Col. G., stated: "We have identified a trend of attempts by the enemy to collect intelligence on IDF service men and women, which could tip the scale later in the war. The Information Security Department works both in peace and war to systematically locate fraud infrastructure and remove them."
He added: "Facing the dangerous seduction network are the department's smart technological monitoring means. At the same time, the potential damage of similar fraud infrastructures is high, and therefore, IDF servicepeople must be aware of the issue."