{"id":39531,"date":"2026-10-23T20:32:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T18:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ostro.si\/?p=39531"},"modified":"2026-10-25T21:44:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T19:44:24","slug":"slovenia-plans-to-test-israeli-artificial-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ostro.si\/en\/stories\/slovenia-plans-to-test-israeli-artificial-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Slovenia Plans to Test Israeli Artificial Intelligence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An important decision was made at the government offices on 13 July of this year. The Government Information Security Office (URSIV) has agreed with the Israeli company Dream Security to test its Sphere cybersecurity tool in the \u2018laboratory\u2019 of the SIGOV-CERT sector. Reports from the meeting, which were obtained by O\u0161tro, indicate that the testing would be conducted \u201con anonymized data that could be used to assess the tool\u2019s added value\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the newspaper Ve\u010der and TV Slovenia reported in July, representatives of the company Dream Security met with Prime Minister Janez Jan\u0161a, whose office organized the meeting. Among the present was also Sebastian Kurz, former Austrian Federal Chancellor and the current co-owner and chairman of the board of directors of Dream Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PM Jan\u0161a is well acquainted with Mr. Kurz. In 2020, when they were both in power in their respective countries, they for example climbed Mount Triglav together. That same year, Mr. Jan\u0161a was in Israel where he met with representatives of NSO Group, a sort of predecessor to the company Dream Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niko Gamulin, acting director of URSIV, was also specially invited to the July meeting in Ljubljana. The SIGOV-CERT unit, which handles cyber incidents in public administration at the national and local levels, namely operates within URSIV. It is responsible \u201cfor entities that manage information systems and parts of the network, or provide information services essential for the smooth functioning of the state or for ensuring national security\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply put: SIGOV-CERT is one of the most security-sensitive parts of the national information system, and the Israeli company would be testing its new cybernetic tool within its laboratory environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the Information Security Office reached an agreement in July to test the Sphere tool, they have in early October, after having received questions from O\u0161tro on the matter, already softened their stance, stating they do not yet know \u201cwhen, or if it will even begin\u201d. In July, officials in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office were even more cautious and did not even specify the Sphere tool by name. They also made no mention of an agreement regarding its testing in their response to O\u0161tro\u2019s questions. In October, however, they clarified that if testing were to take place, it would be conducted \u201cexclusively on test data, in an isolated environment without an internet connection, thereby ensuring adequate protection of state data and information systems\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allies of autocrats<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dream Security isn\u2019t just one of the many Israeli companies offering cybernetic solutions across the globe. Next to Mr. Kurz, its founders include Shalev Hulio, the co-founder and executive director of the Israeli intelligence organization NSO Group. This company sold the notorious Pegasus software to various countries\u2019 intelligence services and police forces to combat crime and terrorism, but it was actually used also to spy on human rights advocates, journalists, scientists, and politicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dream Security was founded in 2022, four years after the murder of the Washington Post journalist, Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi, whose close friends, associates and family members were among the first known targets of Pegasus abuse against journalists or the people in their proximity. NSO Group denied its involvement in the Khashoggi case, according to OCCRP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The founders of the company Dream Security (from left to right): Gil Dolev, Sebastian Kurz, and Shalev Hulio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to documents from the Israeli business registry, Mr. Kurz, Mr. Hulio, and the Israeli cyber expert Gil Dolev first founded a company called Soul Security. Several months later, they renamed it to Dream Security. According to OCCRP reporting from 2022, Mr. Dolev is the founder and former executive director of the Israeli intelligence company Wayout Group. At that time, his brother Shiri Dolev was the CEO of NSO Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June of this year, the company announced a massive capital increase. Private investors injected a fresh 260 million U.S. dollars into the company, and its total valuation rose to three billion dollars. Mr. Kurz is the largest shareholder, holding 14 percent of the shares. Mr. Hulio is not directly involved as a shareholder, but the company\u2019s articles of incorporation protect his rights to at least 5 percent of the company\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Jan\u0161a met representatives of NSO Group in Israel in December of 2020, as O\u0161tro disclosed<\/a> several months later. At that time, the Slovenian Ministry of Economic Development and the Israeli Innovation Agency signed a declaration that, according to official statements, laid the groundwork for future bilateral cooperation in the field of advanced technology and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later on, in 2022, Mr. Hulio left the company, which had been implicated in espionage scandals according to a report by OCCRP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journalists from the German TV program ZDF Magazin Royal, O\u0161tro\u2019s partner in the investigation, identified<\/a> at least seventeen other individuals who left the NSO Group and joined Dream Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on available information, Mr. Kurz has been one of the company\u2019s senior executives since September 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Report on the meeting between URSIV and representatives of the company Dream Security on July 13, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the past, Mr. Jan\u0161a and Mr. Kurz often associated as statesmen and political allies. It would seem their relationship paid dividends at this year\u2019s meeting. As URSIV explained to O\u0161tro, it was not them but the Office of the Prime Minister who arranged this meeting. In October, the office explained that the meeting took place at the proposal of Dream Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As chairman of the company\u2019s board of directors, Mr. Kurz has visited multiple countries and international security conferences this year. In September, he and a delegation paid a visit to outgoing Serbian President, Aleksandar Vu\u010di\u0107. Mr. Vu\u010di\u0107 posted on his Instagram profile that he had discussed \u201cnew ideas, business deals and investments\u201d with friends from Austria and Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, Mr. Kurz visited Kazakhstan twice this year, where, among other things, he spoke with representatives of local cybersecurity companies about technological solutions for ensuring digital security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to information available to O\u0161tro, it currently appears that Kurz\u2019s July promotion of the Sphere tool to Slovenian authorities could be a first among EU member states\u2019 governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sphere \u2013 tabula rasa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On its website, Dream Security states that it helps governments protect their most sensitive data and turn it into \u201cdecisions that transform nations into Super-Nations\u201d. It offers three tools: Atlas, Hero, and Sphere. All are based on artificial intelligence and together form a comprehensive cybersecurity package. However, it is impossible to discern from the lofty language exactly what their functions are and how they work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDesigned for leaders. Created for national resilience, operational advantage, and informed decision-making,\u201d they say about this package. The Sphere tool, which is about to be tested in Slovenia, \u201cprotects governments and critical infrastructure from threats posed by other countries\u201d. According to relevant Slovenian legislation, critical infrastructure includes energy systems, water supply systems, railways, the healthcare system, banks, food supply chains, and other key systems in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Atlas tool is described as a \u201cnational artificial intelligence platform that transforms government data into knowledge, capabilities, and decisions,\u201d while Hero is described as a \u201csovereign cyber defence research module\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O\u0161tro and ZDF Magazin Royale attempted to learn more about the Sphere tool by interviewing two dozen unrelated individuals from the information security and related fields. None had any concrete information about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company Dream Security did not answer questions from O\u0161tro and ZDF Magazin Royale on which countries are at risk, and from whom, of attacks allegedly prevented by Sphere. In June, at the time of the company\u2019s aforementioned capital increase, Mr. Hulio spoke to Reuters about such attacks. \u201cWe managed to prevent major cyberattacks from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00bbI think that in Slovenia, such a claim [about promoting digital sovereignty and preventing cyberattacks] sounds rather unconvincing in the wake of the Black Cube scandal.\u00ab<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Lior Volinz, criminologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Lior Volinz, an Israeli criminologist who collaborates with the Institute of Criminology at the University of Ljubljana\u2019s Faculty of Law, is sceptical of the company\u2019s claims about promoting digital sovereignty and preventing cyberattacks by foreign countries, stating: \u201cI think that in Slovenia, such a claim sounds rather unconvincing in the wake of the Black Cube scandal\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vulnerability due to reliance on an external tool<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dream Security did not answer O\u0161tro\u2019s questions about their expectations regarding testing in Slovenia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe safeguard confidential relationships with our customers and employees, as well as the confidentiality of our operations. We conduct business in accordance with the law and our contractual obligations. Security, privacy, and digital sovereignty are the cornerstones of our work. We remain firmly committed to the responsible development of technology, uncompromising security standards, and the trust of our clients\u201d. This was their response to detailed questions from O\u0161tro\u2019s German partner concerning the company\u2019s operations and plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to official statements from state authorities, testing of the Sphere tool has not yet begun, and URSIV now appears to be attempting to downplay the agreement reached at the July meeting. When asked about the implementation of the agreement, they replied that they do not yet know \u201cwhen, or if it will even begin\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They did explain, however, that if testing of the Sphere tool were to take place, it would \u201cbe conducted on test data in an offline environment\u201d. This, along with the anonymization of test data, would enhance the security of the test. The expected added value of the testing, as described in the July report, is said to be in \u201cdetecting and preventing vulnerabilities and increasing resilience in the field of cybersecurity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The company Dream Security promises governments that by securing and transforming the most sensitive information they are transforming nations into ‘Super-Nations’.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the experts in the field, who wished to remain anonymous due to the nature of his work, confirmed that by anonymizing data and conducting tests in an offline environment, it is possible to ensure the level of security referred to by URSIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked whether the Sphere tool is compatible with Slovenia\u2019s national cyber infrastructure, URSIV replied that this will only be known after it has been tested, if at all. They are not foreseeing the testing of any other Dream Security tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (MORS), the agency has, in fact, been leading the \u201cCyber Defence Situation Centre\u201d project since the previous administration. According to available information, this project was designed with the same goal as that promoted by this Israeli company \u2013 comprehensive national defence against cyberattacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is worth a good 33.5 million euro and is expected to be completed by the end of next year. Detailed information about the project is classified, as explained by URSIV and MORS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most experts in the field were sceptical of Dream Security\u2019s plans in Slovenia. Some said they would not cooperate with individuals associated with the NSO Group. A representative of a foreign cybersecurity company opined that Dream Security was \u201cmuch like Palantir\u201d (an American intelligence company that has, among other things, collaborated with the ICE immigration enforcement agency and the Israeli military) and that it cannot be ruled out that the data processed by this company\u2019s tools might end up in the hands of Israeli authorities.

Lior Volinz pointed out that tools presented as \u201cdefensive\u201d sometimes also involve mass surveillance and extensive analysis of citizens\u2019 personal data, even outside the legally defined framework. As he puts it, \u201ceven in the field of cybersecurity, it is still difficult to discern which [artificial intelligence] tools offer only limited added value while generating a lot of media attention, and which products actually pose a risk to democracy and rule of law\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well-experienced Slovenian cybersecurity expert, who wished to remain anonymous, stated frankly that he does not believe in the honest intentions of the owners of Dream Security, which sprang up from NSO Group. He believes this is yet another case of trying to spy on national data and information. At the same time, he is convinced that, in addition to official software, the company is also secretly offering spyware to the Slovenian government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another interviewee \u2013 a seasoned expert in the field of government information systems, who requested anonymity \u2013 would not be surprised by the mere testing of the Sphere tool in Slovenia. According to his information, the government has already safely tested many cyber tools: \u201cIf the lab is properly set up and disconnected from the internet, there is no risk of data leakage\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00bbThe public-private partnership should not be ruled out in advance, but the state must always retain control over its data. Decisions regarding data protection depend on the sensitivity of the data, risk assessments, consideration of what would happen if the data were disclosed, and to whom it may be disclosed.\u00ab<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Gorazd Bo\u017ei\u010d, head of the Slovenian National Cyber Security Response Centre <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

URSIV also claims that Sphere is an \u201con-premises\u201d tool, meaning it operates solely within a local IT environment. The source noted, however, that such tools cannot be completely isolated: \u201cSoftware updates are a weak point. That\u2019s when they connect to the internet and become vulnerable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would surprise him, though, would be if state bodies decided, after the testing is complete, to incorporate Dream Security tools into the system of national security. He is convinced that the planned Cyber Defence Situation Centre already \u201cmeets all of Slovenia\u2019s security needs and, at the same time, gives the country more control over the system than if we were to introduce entirely new external tools\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several information security experts have confirmed the widely held belief that Israeli products are by no means a rarity in Slovenia\u2019s IT environment. On the contrary, in the past, they were primarily supplied to Slovenia by U.S. companies, one of them said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their investigation, reporters from ZDF Magazin Royale encountered another problematic aspect: what would happen to the sensitive data of various countries following a potential sale of Dream Security? Last year, Shalev Hulio namely hinted, in his interview for the Israeli Ynet Global, that the company might be sold in case the offer was to the tune of some 32 billion dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Watch the ZDF Magazin Royale TV-Show<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The myth of national sovereignty in the field of artificial intelligence<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gorazd Bo\u017ei\u010d, head of the Slovenian National Cyber Security Response Centre (SI-CERT), which operates independently of URSIV, declined to comment on the agreement between Dream Security and the Slovenian authorities. \u201cWe were not invited to the meeting with the Prime Minister,\u201d he said, adding that he is not aware of any potential subsequent decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his view, the public-private partnership should not be ruled out in advance, but the state must always retain control over its data. Decisions regarding data protection depend on the sensitivity of the data, risk assessments, consideration of what would happen if the data were disclosed, and to whom it may be disclosed. \u201cSuch considerations are a trend in the EU; other countries are facing them as well,\u201d says Mr. Bo\u017ei\u010d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the software promoted by Dream Security, the biggest unknown is how the artificial intelligence (AI) works. In a conversation with a German cybersecurity expert, Professor Matteo Gro\u00dfe-Kampmann of the University of Rhine-Waal, colleagues from ZDF Magazin Royale learned, among other things, that \u201cbased on the sparse documentation of the company Dream Security, it can be assumed that the data will not remain strictly in the country [where the tool would be used], but that it will be utilized, at least in part, to train a global artificial intelligence model\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The draft of the new cybersecurity strategy for 2027\u20132035, which URSIV released for public comment last week, also contains a brief subsection on artificial intelligence. Promoting its use to strengthen cybersecurity is envisaged as one of the country\u2019s future strategic directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n