Saudis deny Israeli hackers infiltrated capital market site

Jan 18, 2012, 11:23 GMT

Riyadh - Saudi authorities on Wednesday denied claims that Israeli hackers had crippled the website of the oil-rich country's capital market, saying the system was operating normally.

Israeli hackers claimed Tuesday to have knocked down websites in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, including that of the Saudi Capital Market and Abu Dhabi's Stock Exchange, allegedly in retaliation for earlier attacks on Israeli websites.

The websites for the stock exchange in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi stopped working Tuesday evening, Israel's daily Yedioth Ahranoth newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the hackers left a message on the website saying: 'We are operating in the name of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces),' adding that 'If you (Saudi hackers) don't stop attacking us, we will paralyse your economy.'

The Saudi authorities, in a statement issued Wednesday, said they sophisticated security protection was being enforced.

The incident appears to be part of an ongoing cyber war between Arab and Israeli hackers, who have threatened to launch more online attacks.

Tariq al-Sudani, a prominent Kuwaiti religious figure, has called on Arab hackers to join forces in an 'e-Jihad' against Israel, reported regional media.

On Monday, hackers disabled the websites of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and Israel's El Al airline.

The cyber war reportedly broke out earlier this month when a pro-Palestinian hacker, using the name OxOmar, exposed the credit card numbers of thousands of Israelis.

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