Security Affairs

DECEMBER 7, 2024

Russia’s FSB used spyware against a Russian programmer after detaining him for allegedly donating to Ukraine earlier this year. The Federal Security Service (FSB) used spyware to monitor a Russian programmer, Kirill Parubets, after he was detained earlier this year for allegedly donating to Ukraine.

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Security Affairs

JUNE 17, 2022

Experts uncovered an enterprise-grade surveillance malware dubbed Hermit used to target individuals in Kazakhstan, Syria, and Italy since 2019. Lookout Threat Lab researchers uncovered enterprise-grade Android surveillance spyware, named Hermit, used by the government of Kazakhstan to track individuals within the country.

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Security Affairs

JULY 12, 2020

Google announced that starting from August it will update its policies to reject ads proposed by organizations offering surveillance software. The move aims at fighting the advertising of any form of surveillance. Google wants to halt the use of ads for technology that could allow monitoring a person’s online activity (i.e.

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Security Affairs

DECEMBER 3, 2021

Apple warns that the mobile devices of at least nine US Department of State employees were compromised with NSO Group ‘s Pegasus spyware. The iPhones of at least nine US state department officials were compromised with the NSO Group’s spyware Pegasus. “Apple Inc iPhones of at least nine U.S.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 17, 2023

The Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream is allegedly shutting down its operations after Citizen Lab and Microsoft uncovered their spyware. Last week Citizen Lab researchers reported that at least five civil society members were victims of spyware and exploits developed by the Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream.

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Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 16, 2024

Apple drops its lawsuit against commercial spyware vendor NSO Group, due to the risk of “threat intelligence” information exposure. Apple is seeking to drop its lawsuit against Israeli spyware company NSO Group , citing the risk of “threat intelligence” information exposure.

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Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 17, 2022

The European Data Protection Supervisor authority called for a ban on the development and the use of Pegasus-like commercial spyware. The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) authority this week called for a ban on the development and the use of surveillance software like the Pegasus spyware in the EU. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 12, 2023

At least five members of civil society worldwide have been targeted with spyware and exploits developed by surveillance firm QuaDream. Citizen Lab researchers reported that at least five civil society members were victims of spyware and exploits developed by the Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream. and 14.4.2,

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Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Google’s TAG revealed that Commercial spyware vendors (CSV) were behind most of the zero-day vulnerabilities discovered in 2023. Surveillance software is used to spy on high-risk users, including journalists, human rights defenders, dissidents and opposition party politicians. ” concludes Google.

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Security Affairs

MAY 23, 2022

We assess the exploits were packaged by a single commercial surveillance company, Cytrox, and sold to different govt-backed actors. The attacks aimed at installing the surveillance spyware Predator, developed by the North Macedonian firm Cytrox. link] — Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) May 19, 2022. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

OCTOBER 14, 2020

Earlier this month, German authorities have raided the offices of FinFisher, the German surveillance software firm, accused of providing its software to oppressive regimes. The post German authorities raid the offices of the FinFisher surveillance firm appeared first on Security Affairs. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

AUGUST 6, 2022

Greek intelligence admitted it had spied on a journalist, while citizens ask the government to reveal the use of surveillance malware. The head of the Greek intelligence told a parliamentary committee that they had spied on a journalist with surveillance malware , Reuters reported citing two sources present. ” reported Reuters.

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Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

The iPhone of a prominent Russian journalist, who is at odds with Moscow, was infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. The iPhone of the Russian journalist Galina Timchenko was compromised with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. The threat actors used a zero-click exploit, likely the PWNYOURHOME. ” reported Citizen Lab.

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Security Affairs

JANUARY 9, 2022

The US NCSC and the Department of State published joint guidance on defending against attacks using commercial surveillance tools. In the last years, we have reported several cases of companies selling commercial surveillance tools to governments and other entities that have used them for malicious purposes. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

JUNE 24, 2022

Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) revealed that the Italian spyware vendor RCS Labs was supported by ISPs to spy on users. TAG researchers tracked more than 30 vendors selling exploits or surveillance capabilities to nation-state actors. Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 25, 2020

The legal dispute between Facebook and NSO group continues even after the Israeli surveillance firm filed a motion to dismiss the case earlier this month. Facebook advocates have challenged a plea from spyware maker NSO Group to dismiss the legal dispute over the hacking accusations, arguing it has immunity from prosecution.

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Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

South Korean users have been targeted with a new sophisticated Android spyware, tracked as PhoneSpy, as part of an ongoing campaign. Researchers from Zimperium zLabs uncovered an ongoing campaign aimed at infecting the mobile phones of South Korean users with new sophisticated android spyware dubbed PhoneSpy. Zimperium concludes.

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Security Affairs

AUGUST 28, 2022

Leaked documents show the surveillance firm Intellexa offering exploits for iOS and Android devices for $8 Million. Intellexa is an Israeli surveillance firm founded by Israeli entrepreneur Tal Dilian, it offers surveillance and hacking solution to law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 11, 2021

Lookout researchers provided details about two Android spyware families employed by an APT group tracked as Confucius. Researchers at mobile security firm Lookout have provided details about two recently discovered Android spyware families, dubbed Hornbill and SunBird, used by an APT group named Confucius. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

Lookout researchers discovered two long-running surveillance campaigns targeting the ethnic minority Uyghurs. Researchers from mobile security firm Lookout uncovered two long-running surveillance campaigns targeting the Uyghurs minority. List of installed packages. Call logs and geocoded location associated with the call.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 8, 2020

In October 2019, WhatsApp sued the Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group accusing it of carrying out malicious attacks against its users. In May, Facebook has patched a critical zero-day vulnerability in WhatsApp, tracked as CVE-2019-3568 , that has been exploited to remotely install spyware on phones by calling the targeted device.

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Security Affairs

MAY 22, 2024

A researcher discovered a consumer-grade spyware app on the check-in systems of at least three Wyndham hotels across the US. The security researcher Eric Daigle discovered a commercial spyware app, called pcTattletale, on the check-in systems of at least three Wyndham hotels across the US, TechCrunch first reported.

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Security Affairs

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Security experts spotted a new malware strain, named Goontact, that allows its operators to spy on both Android and iOS users. Security researchers from Lookout have discovered new spyware, dubbed Goontcat, that could target both Android and iOS users. The spyware is likely used as part of a sextortion campaign.

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Security Affairs

JUNE 22, 2020

Researchers at Amnesty International collected evidence that a Moroccan journalist was targeted with network injection attacks using NSO Group ‘s spyware. “Through our investigation we were able to confirm that his phone was targeted and put under surveillance during the same period he was prosecuted.”

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Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

Google Project Zero researchers reported that a surveillance vendor is using three Samsung phone zero-day exploits. Google Project Zero disclosed three Samsung phone vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2021-25337, CVE-2021-25369 and CVE-2021-25370, that have been exploited by a surveillance company. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) linked three exploitation frameworks to a Spanish surveillance spyware vendor named Variston. While tracking the activities of commercial spyware vendors, Threat Analysis Group (TAG) spotted an exploitation framework likely linked Variston IT, a Spanish firm. ” TAG concludes.

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Security Affairs

JANUARY 17, 2024

Researchers devised a “lightweight method,” called iShutdown, to determine whether Apple iOS devices have been infected with spyware. Cybersecurity researchers from Kaspersky have identified a “lightweight method,” called iShutdown, to identify the presence of spyware on Apple iOS devices.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 1, 2023

CISA has added nine flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, including bugs exploited by commercial spyware on mobile devices. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added nine new vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.

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Security Affairs

MAY 14, 2019

Facebook fixed a critical zero-day flaw in WhatsApp that has been exploited to remotely install spyware on phones by calling the targeted device. Facebook has recently patched a critical zero-day vulnerability in WhatsApp, tracked as CVE-2019-3568 , that has been exploited to remotely install spyware on phones by calling the targeted device.

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Security Affairs

MAY 20, 2019

Amnesty International filed a lawsuit against Israeli surveillance firm NSO and fears its staff may be targeted by the company with its Pegasus spyware. The name NSO Group made the headlines last week after the disclosure of the WhatsApp flaw exploited by the company to remotely install its surveillance software.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 13, 2022

According to a report published by Reuters, an Israeli surveillance software was used to spy on senior officials in the European Commission. One of the officials targeted with the infamous spyware there is Didier Reynders, a senior Belgian statesman who has served as the European Justice Commissioner since 2019. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 24, 2021

The threat actors used by spyware to take over the target systems, spy on the victims, and exfiltrate data. “This unlawful surveillance violates the right to privacy and stifles freedom of expression.” The link points to files containing spyware that could infect both Mac OS or Windows systems. Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

MARCH 27, 2021

Researchers spotted a sophisticated Android spyware that implements exfiltration capabilities and surveillance features, including recording audio and phone calls. Experts from security firm Zimperium have spotted a new sophisticated Android spyware that masquerades itself as a System Update application.

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Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

Citizen Lab and Google’s TAG revealed that the three recently patched Apple zero-days were used to install Cytrox Predator spyware. Apple this week released emergency security updates to address three new zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-41993, CVE-2023-41991, CVE-2023-41992) that have been exploited in attacks in the wild.

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Security Affairs

APRIL 19, 2022

Researchers from Citizen Lab have published a report detailing the use of a new zero-click iMessage exploit, dubbed HOMAGE, to install the NSO Group Pegasus spyware on iPhones belonging to Catalan politicians, journalists, academics, and activists. To nominate, please visit:? Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook.

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Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

One of the Apple iOS zero-day flaws exploited by the NSO group was also used by another surveillance firm named QuaDream. 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.

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Security Affairs

OCTOBER 11, 2021

A Togolese human rights advocate was hit by mobile spyware that has been allegedly developed by an Indian firm called Innefu Labs. Experts believe the attackers used a spyware developed by an Indian company called Innefu Labs. In the past, the Donot Team spyware was found in attacks outside of South Asia.

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