Dr. Harel Menashri
Research Fellow, International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), Reichman University; Head of Cyber, Holon Institute of Technology (HIT); Former Senior Cyber Official, Israel Security Agency; Former Officer, IDF
Dr. Harel Menashri is a leading expert in cyber defense, information security, and technological intelligence. He currently holds several academic positions: he is Head of Cyber at the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), where he also lectures across the Sciences Faculty, Interdisciplinary Faculty, and Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Technology Management. In addition, he serves as a lecturer at Bar Ilan University in the Information Science Department, and at Tel Aviv University in the Faculty of Medicine, where he contributes to the emergency and disaster management program. He is also a Research Fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Reichman University.
Dr. Menashri brings 36 years of distinguished experience in Israel’s national security and cyber defense sectors. He served for 25 years in the Israel Security Agency (ISA), focusing on research, cyber security, and the protection of critical infrastructure – both civil and defense – including IT and SCADA systems. He played a foundational role in establishing the ISA’s cyber array and was instrumental in shaping the Israeli defense establishment’s cyber policy. His experience also includes 10 years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), where he served as an officer and commander in various roles.
As a consultant for organizations in Israel and globally, Dr. Menashri specializes in cyber security strategy, protection against various attack types, technological intelligence, and emergency response. His expertise extends to the activities of cyber superpowers, state actors, and terrorist organizations; Chinese cyber strategies and cultural dimensions; North Korea’s cyber units; and global cyber-intelligence developments.
His academic research interests include cyber warfare, advanced technology application, information security, intelligence operations, and the integration of cyber operations into broader military strategy.
Dr. Menashri holds a B.A. in Humanities and Social Sciences from The Open University of Israel. He earned an M.A. in Information Science and Technology from Bar Ilan University, where his thesis addressed “American Cyber Security Policy Versus the Potential Threat to Civil Rights.” He received his Ph.D. in Information Science from Bar Ilan University, with a dissertation titled “Integrating Cyber Warfare into Different Types of Warfare: The United States of America – Case Study.”
Dr. Menashri is recognized for his broad and deep knowledge of spy, intelligence, and cyber affairs both in Israel and worldwide. He continues to play a central role in shaping academic and operational discourse on cyber defense and national security.
