Top Israeli spy chief exposes his true identity in online security lapse [View all]
Exclusive: Yossi Sariel unmasked as head of Unit 8200 and architect of AI strategy after book written under pen name reveals his Google account
The identity of the commander of Israels Unit 8200 is a closely guarded secret. He occupies one of the most sensitive roles in the military, leading one of the worlds most powerful surveillance agencies, comparable to the US National Security Agency.
Yet after spending more than two decades operating in the shadows, the Guardian can reveal how the controversial spy chief whose name is Yossi Sariel has left his identity exposed online.
The embarrassing security lapse is linked to a book he published on Amazon, which left a digital trail to a private Google account created in his name, along with his unique ID and links to the accounts maps and calendar profiles.
The Guardian has confirmed with multiple sources that Sariel is the secret author of The Human Machine Team, a book in which he offers a radical vision for how artificial intelligence can transform the relationship between military personnel and machines.
Published in 2021 using a pen name composed of his initials, Brigadier General YS, it provides a blueprint for the advanced AI-powered systems that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been pioneering during the six-month war in Gaza.
An electronic version of the book included an anonymous email address that can easily be traced to Sariels name and Google account. Contacted by the Guardian, an IDF spokesperson said the email address was not Sariels personal one, but dedicated specifically for issues to do with the book itself.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/05/top-israeli-spy-chief-exposes-his-true-identity-in-online-security-lapse