eSecurity Planet

JULY 21, 2021

Reports that the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was used by governments to spy on Apple iPhones used by journalists, activists, government officials and business executives is becoming a global controversy for NSO, Apple and a number of governments at the center of the scandal. The impact of the burgeoning scandal continues to ripple.

Spyware 126

Spyware Mobile Government Surveillance 126

Krebs on Security

NOVEMBER 13, 2019

In July 2016, KrebsOnSecurity published a story identifying a Toronto man as the author of the Orcus RAT , a software product that’s been marketed on underground forums and used in countless malware attacks since its creation in 2015. This week, Canadian authorities criminally charged him with orchestrating an international malware scheme.

Malware 227

Malware Advertising Marketing System Administration 227

Security Affairs

JUNE 15, 2020

The Earth Empusa threat group is distributing new Android spyware, dubbed ActionSpy, through watering hole attacks to targets Turkic minority group. ActionSpy, which may have been around since 2017, is an Android spyware that allows the attacker to collect information from the compromised devices,” reads the report published by Trend Micro.

Spyware 104

Spyware Advertising Encryption Phishing 104

Security Affairs

MAY 18, 2020

Security experts discovered a highly sophisticated Android spyware platform, dubbed Mandrake, that remained undetected for four years. Researchers from Bitdefender discovered a high-sophisticated Android spyware platform dubbed Mandrake, it was involved in highly targeted attacks against specific devices. Pierluigi Paganini.

Spyware 112

Spyware Malware Advertising Banking 112

Security Affairs

JULY 25, 2019

Researchers at Lookout discovered a new mobile spyware dubbed Monokle that was developed by a Russian defense contractor. Experts at Lookout discovered a new Android mobile spyware in the wild, dubbed Monokle, that was developed by a Russian defense contractor named Special Technology Centre Ltd. ( Presidential election.

Spyware 105

Spyware Surveillance Mobile Advertising 105

Security Affairs

DECEMBER 12, 2024

These documents suggest the existence of an iOS conversion of the spyware that has yet to be uncovered. a Chinese tech company founded in 2016 with fewer than 50 employees. ” Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon Pierluigi Paganini ( SecurityAffairs hacking,China)

Surveillance 63

Surveillance Mobile Spyware Malware 63

Security Affairs

APRIL 22, 2024

The threat actors shared a portion of the stolen data with TechCrunch as proof of the hack, it includes records on current and former government officials, diplomats, and politically exposed people. The list also includes criminals, suspected terrorists, intelligence operatives and a European spyware firm.

Risk 138

Risk Spyware Hacking Accountability 138

Security Affairs

MARCH 7, 2021

In the last years, security experts documented multiple hacking and disinformation campaigns, attributed to Russia-linked APT groups, that targeted Lithuania, Estonia , and Latvia. In December 2016, Lithuania blamed Russia for cyber attacks that hit government networks over the previous two years. Pierluigi Paganini.

Cyber Attacks 138

Cyber Attacks Spyware Government Hacking 138

Security Affairs

OCTOBER 10, 2019

NSO Group ‘s surveillance spyware made the headlines again, this time the malware was used to spy on 2 rights activists in Morocco according Amnesty International. Amnesty International collected evidence of new abuses of the NSO Group ‘s surveillance spyware, this time the malware was used to spy two rights activists in Morocco.

Spyware 75

Spyware Surveillance Advertising Malware 75

Security Affairs

AUGUST 23, 2018

Security researchers from Bitdefender have spotted a new Android spyware framework dubbed Triout that could be used to create malware with extensive surveillance capabilities. “The original app seems to have been available in Google Play in 2016, but it has since been removed. ” reads the report published by Bitdefender.

Spyware 71

Spyware Surveillance Advertising Malware 71

Krebs on Security

APRIL 2, 2019

As first detailed by KrebsOnSecurity in July 2016 , Orcus is the brainchild of John “Armada” Rezvesz , a Toronto resident who until recently maintained and sold the RAT under the company name Orcus Technologies. An advertisement for Orcus RAT. In an “official press release” posted to pastebin.com on Mar.

Advertising 258

Advertising Malware Software Marketing 258

Security Affairs

OCTOBER 24, 2019

The Sweden government is going to authorize the use of spyware on suspects’ devices to spy on their communications and track them. Criminal organizations leverage encrypted messaging services for their communications, for this reason the Government decided to authorize the use of surveillance spyware against suspects of violent crimes.

Spyware 75

Spyware Government Surveillance Encryption 75

Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

. “Through the use of mobile applications, those behind the attack use fake decoy content to entice their victims to download such applications, which are in fact loaded with spyware, to then collect sensitive information about them.” ” reads the analysis published by CheckPoint. Pierluigi Paganini.

Surveillance 78

Surveillance Mobile Advertising Spyware 78

Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

One of the vulnerabilities in Apple iOS that was previously exploited by the spyware developed by the Israeli company NSO Group was also separately used by another surveillance firm named QuaDream. QuaDream was founded in 2016 by Ilan Dabelstein, a former Israeli military official, and by two former NSO employees, Guy Geva and Nimrod Reznik.

Surveillance 98

Surveillance Spyware Government Hacking 98

Security Affairs

MARCH 30, 2019

Security researchers have found a new government spyware, tracked as Exodus, that was distributed through the Google Play Store. The researchers argue that the surveillance operation might have targeted also innocent victims because the spyware was poorly developed, a circumstance that is confirmed makes the software illegal.

Government 111

Government Malware Spyware Surveillance 111

Security Affairs

AUGUST 30, 2018

The BusyGasper Android spyware has been active since May 2016, it implements unusual features for this type of malware. We found no similarities to commercial spyware products or to other known spyware variants, which suggests BusyGasper is self-developed and used by a single threat actor.” Pierluigi Paganini.

Spyware 72

Spyware Malware Advertising Banking 72

Security Affairs

APRIL 28, 2020

“We found dozens of related samples that had been appearing in the wild since 2016 and had been deployed in various application marketplaces including Google Play.” The PhantomLance malware implements classic spyware functionalities, it could exfiltrate user data, phone call logs, SMS messages, contacts, and GPS data.

Malware 141

Malware Advertising Marketing Hacking 141

Security Affairs

JULY 30, 2018

A new sophisticated version of the AZORult Spyware was spotted in the wild, it was involved in a large email campaign on July 18. Malware researchers at Proofpoint spotted a new version of the AZORult Spyware in the wild, it was involved in a large email campaign on July 18, just 24 hours it appeared in cybercrime forums on the Dark Web.

Spyware 72

Spyware Cryptocurrency Passwords Malware 72

Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 2, 2020

Researchers at Cybereason’s Nocturnus team published a new report that includes details on two new pieces of malware associated with the North-Korea linked APT, modular spyware called KGH_SPY and a downloader called CSPY Downloader. SecurityAffairs – hacking, Kimsuky APT). ” reads the report published by Cybereason.

Malware 133

Malware Advertising Spyware Government 133

Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

In July, Citizen Lab collected evidence of attacks against 175 targets worldwide carried on with the NSO spyware. YEAR(S) IN WHICH SPYWARE INFECTION WAS ATTEMPTED. In August, an Amnesty International report confirmed that its experts identified a second human rights activist, in Saudi Arabia, who was targeted with the powerful spyware.

Surveillance 111

Surveillance Spyware Software Advertising 111

Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

In 2016, researchers from the non-profit organization CitizenLab published a report that describes a campaign of targeted spyware attacks carried out by the Stealth Falcon. Stealth Falcon is a nation-state actor active since at least 2012, the group targeted political activists and journalists in the Middle East in past campaigns.

Malware 141

Malware Spyware Architecture Encryption 141

Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 13, 2022

SecurityAffairs – hacking, newsletter). US seizes $3.6 US seizes $3.6 Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook. Pierluigi Paganini. The post Security Affairs newsletter Round 353 appeared first on Security Affairs.

Ransomware 98

Ransomware Spyware Surveillance Hacking 98

Security Affairs

APRIL 9, 2019

In the last weeks, a new Android surveillance malware dubbed Exodus made the headlines, now expert found the iOS version of the government spyware. on Feb 28, 2016.” Security experts at LookOut have discovered an iOS version of the dreaded surveillance Android app Exodus that was initially found on the official Google Play Store.

Surveillance 102

Surveillance Spyware Phishing Malware 102

Security Affairs

MARCH 13, 2019

FruityArmor is a cyber-espionage group that was first observed in 2016 while targeting activists, researchers, and individuals related to government organizations in Thailand, Iran, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden. SecurityAffairs – CVE-2019-0797, hacking). ” reads the analysis published by Kaspersky Lab.

Advertising 111

Advertising Spyware Hacking Government 111

Security Affairs

AUGUST 21, 2022

The Donot Team has been active since 2016, it focuses on government and military organizations, ministries of foreign affairs, and embassies in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries. In the past, the Donot Team spyware was found in attacks outside of South Asia. SecurityAffairs – hacking, Donot Team).

Malware 100

Malware Spyware Phishing Government 100

Security Affairs

AUGUST 1, 2018

. “In June 2018, an Amnesty International staff member received a malicious WhatsApp message with Saudi Arabia-related bait content and carrying links Amnesty International believes are used to distribute and deploy sophisticated mobile spyware. Year(s) in which spyware infection was attempted. Country Nexus. 2012-2014.

Surveillance 67

Surveillance Malware Spyware Mobile 67

CyberSecurity Insiders

JULY 18, 2021

Some news outlets like Le Monde and the Washington Post have also added in their news posts that so far over 50,000 phone numbers are believed to have been targeted by the hackers since 2016 and that includes the contact number of Hanan Eltar, the widow of Saudi Born Journalists Jamal Khashoggi who was killed in 2018 for reasons.

Mobile 82

Mobile Malware Spyware Surveillance 82

SecureList

MAY 27, 2022

We attribute the campaign, named SnatchCrypto, to the BlueNoroff APT group, the threat actor behind the 2016 attack on Bangladesh’s central bank. One of the things you can do to protect yourself from advanced mobile spyware is to reboot your device on a daily basis. Lapsus$ group hacks Okta. Other malware.

Phishing 134

Phishing Spyware Firmware Malware 134

Security Affairs

JULY 13, 2019

Experts uncovered a new Magecart campaign that hacked over 960 stores. Kaspersky report: Malware shared by USCYBERCOM first seen in December 2016. Severe vulnerabilities allow hacking older GE anesthesia machines. New FinFisher spyware used to spy on iOS and Android users in 20 countries.

Data breaches 75

Data breaches Spyware Advertising Government 75

Security Affairs

MAY 19, 2019

Hacking the ‘Unhackable eyeDisk USB stick. Pacha Group declares war to rival crypto mining hacking groups. WhatsApp zero-day exploited in targeted attacks to deliver NSO spyware. Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached TeamViewer in 2016. Security breach suffered by credit bureau Equifax has cost $1.4

Advertising 87

Advertising Spyware Data breaches Hacking 87

Security Affairs

MARCH 11, 2019

AZORult is a data stealer that was first spotted in 2016 by Proofpoint that discovered it was it was part of a secondary infection via the Chthonic banking trojan. In July, the experts discovered a new sophisticated version of the AZORult Spyware that was involved in a large email campaign on July 18.

Encryption 109

Encryption Ransomware Cryptocurrency Passwords 109

Security Affairs

OCTOBER 23, 2018

AZORult is a data stealer that was first spotted in 2016 by Proofpoint that discovered it was it was part of a secondary infection via the Chthonic banking trojan. In July, the experts discovered a new sophisticated version of the AZORult Spyware that was involved in a large email campaign on July 18.

Marketing 104

Marketing Cybercrime Cryptocurrency Advertising 104

Security Affairs

OCTOBER 2, 2018

Azorult has been around since at least 2016, malware researchers at Proofpoint spotted a new version of the AZORult Spyware in the wild, it was involved in a large email campaign on July 18, just 24 hours it appeared in cybercrime forums on the Dark Web. in live attacks. and 3.2).

Malware 109

Malware Advertising Spyware Passwords 109

Security Affairs

MARCH 12, 2019

net” there is a well-known malicious site, active since 2016, and related to a huge phishing network, in which also some URLs related to fake MS Office pages are present. Despite its dimensions, this is the only apk that shows a spyware behavior. Figure 5: phishing web page provided by URL cited above. Behind the URL “www.areyouabot[.]net”

Spyware 106

Spyware Malware Mobile Phishing 106

Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

In 2016, researchers from non-profit organization CitizenLab published a report that describes a campaign of targeted spyware attacks carried by the Stealth Falcon. Stealth Falcon is a nation-state actor active since at least 2012, the group targeted political activists and journalists in the Middle East in past campaigns.

Malware 105

Malware Advertising System Administration Spyware 105

Security Affairs

MAY 23, 2023

In the latest campaign uncovered by Kaspersky, the APT group, used a modular framework dubbed CloudWizard that supports spyware capabilities, including taking screenshots, microphone recording, harvesting Gmail inboxes, and keylogging.

Malware 98

Malware Spyware Encryption Hacking 98

Security Affairs

JULY 18, 2019

The activity of the group was initially uncovered in 2016 when experts at Kaspersky observed the cyberespionage group targeting users in Europe, in the Middle East, and in Northern Africa. The group set up malicious sites mimicking legitimate ones to carry out watering holes to deliver tainted installers and malware.

Malware 88

Malware Software Advertising Spyware 88