The State Attorney's Office has filed a serious indictment at the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court against Michael Bar, 43, from Ashkelon, for conducting prolonged cyberattacks allegedly spanning from 2019 until his arrest three weeks ago. According to the indictment, filed by attorneys Elad Dayan and Haviv Lerner of the Cyber Department, the defendant developed malware using artificial intelligence (AI) tools and infiltrated the computers of 26 Israeli companies, as well as private individuals.
The prosecution claims that Bar leveraged his professional expertise as an information security manager at a firm encompassing several construction and interior design businesses to carry out the acts. The software he developed allegedly allowed him to remotely control computers, steal business information, gather passwords, and breach various accounts. The indictment further alleges that the defendant exploited his technical skills to gain unauthorized access to computer cameras.
He is charged with recording intimate images of women employed by the targeted companies and of minors. According to the allegations, the collected data was organized into specific folders by victim identity. The prosecution states that the case was exposed in April 2026, following an internal investigation by one of the targeted companies. When the National Cyber Directorate contacted Bar in his professional capacity to inform him of the suspicions, he allegedly concealed the fact that he was the one behind the attack.
Furthermore, it is alleged that while communicating with the Directorate, he continued developing more sophisticated malware, distributing it to additional companies. The indictment charges Bar with a series of criminal offenses, including unauthorized access to computer material to commit another offense, spreading computer viruses, privacy violations, and theft. Alongside the indictment, the prosecution requested detention until the end of proceedings. The Cyber Department emphasized that the defendant possesses advanced technical skills that allowed him to continue his criminal activity for many years.
The investigation was led by the Lahav 433 National Cyber Unit. At this time, these are allegations detailed in an indictment that have not yet been ruled upon by the court, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.