State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman issued a warning on Tuesday, saying Israel faces “significant shortcomings” in its preparedness for foreign digital interference in the 2026 elections, as Iranian cyberattacks and espionage attempts intensify.
Speaking at Tel Aviv University’s Cyber Week, Englman cautioned that foreign actors – primarily Iran and its proxies – are escalating efforts to influence democratic processes worldwide and that Israel has not yet built the defenses required for the coming year.
In his remarks, he said the review already underway in his office reveals “major deficiencies in Israel’s readiness to counter foreign influence.” He urged the government and the Central Elections Committee to “snap into action and improve preparedness before the next national vote.”
Englman’s warning comes as Israel enters a sensitive election year, one marked by heightened cyber aggression from Iran and repeated exposure of Iranian recruitment and spying networks inside Israel. In parallel, global precedents are showing how digital manipulation can shake democratic institutions.
Englman told attendees that the digital front is quickly becoming one of the most vulnerable points in democratic societies. “During an election year, the threat intensifies and may endanger the democratic process itself,” he said.
He listed potential risks: chaos on election day, disruption to vote-counting systems, influence operations aimed at voters, and the deliberate erosion of public trust in official results.
Englman added that foreign interference could “deepen social polarization,” an issue security officials have repeatedly flagged since October 7 as a strategic vulnerability.
The Iranian threat
Iranian operatives have recently been linked to multiple attempts to recruit Israelis online for surveillance tasks.
Against this backdrop, Englman confirmed that his office’s audit, launched months ago, is examining the government’s and the Central Elections Committee’s preparedness, specifically regarding digital foreign influence.
Although the audit is still in progress, he emphasized, “We can already say that the findings point to significant lapses.”
He called on all relevant authorities “to improve their readiness to prevent foreign interference in the elections expected next year.”