Mexican Drug Cartels with High-Tech Spyware
Schneier on Security
DECEMBER 17, 2020
Lots of details in the article. The cyberweapons arms business is immoral in many ways. This is just one of them.
Spyware in India
Schneier on Security
NOVEMBER 2, 2023
.” AccessNow puts this in context : For India to uphold fundamental rights, authorities must initiate an immediate independent inquiry, implement a ban on the use of rights-abusing commercial spyware, and make a commitment to reform the country’s surveillance laws.
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The Internet Enabled Mass Surveillance. AI Will Enable Mass Spying.
Schneier on Security
DECEMBER 5, 2023
Spying and surveillance are different but related things. If I hired that same private detective to put you under surveillance, I would get a different report: where you went, whom you talked to, what you purchased, what you did. Before the internet, putting someone under surveillance was expensive and time-consuming.
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Paragon: Yet Another Cyberweapons Arms Manufacturer
Schneier on Security
AUGUST 3, 2021
Forbes has the story : Paragon’s product will also likely get spyware critics and surveillance experts alike rubbernecking: It claims to give police the power to remotely break into encrypted instant messaging communications, whether that’s WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook Messenger or Gmail, the industry sources said.
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On the Zero-Day Market
Schneier on Security
MAY 24, 2024
New paper: “ Zero Progress on Zero Days: How the Last Ten Years Created the Modern Spyware Market “: Abstract: Spyware makes surveillance simple. The last ten years have also been marked by stark failures to control spyware and its precursors and components.
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Regulating International Trade in Commercial Spyware
Schneier on Security
AUGUST 5, 2019
Deibert, and John Scott-Railton of Citizen Lab published an editorial calling for regulating the international trade in commercial surveillance systems until we can figure out how to curb human rights abuses. The purchase of surveillance technology by law enforcement in any state must be transparent and subject to public debate.
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Google’s Threat Analysis Group’s Spyware Research: How CSVs Target Devices and Applications
Tech Republic Security
FEBRUARY 14, 2024
In a new report from Google's Threat Analysis Group, the researchers detail how commercial surveillance vendors particularly use spyware and target Google and Apple devices.
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Spyware Maker Intellexa Sued by Journalist
Schneier on Security
OCTOBER 7, 2022
The Greek journalist Thanasis Koukakis was spied on by his own government, with a commercial spyware product called “Predator.” ” That product is sold by a company in North Macedonia called Cytrox, which is in turn owned by an Israeli company called Intellexa. Koukakis is suing Intellexa.
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China officially condemns Pegasus spyware surveillance and accuses US
CyberSecurity Insiders
JULY 22, 2021
Chine Foreign Ministry has issued a public statement condemning the distribution and usage of Pegasus Spyware surveillance software by various countries. Now, to those uninitiated, Israel-based NSO Group developed Pegasus surveillance software that was meant for government organizations to spy on criminal suspects.
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WhatsApp Compromised by Spyware
Adam Levin
MAY 15, 2019
WhatsApp disclosed a major security vulnerability that allowed hackers to remotely install spyware on mobile devices. The spyware deployed has been traced back to NSO Group, an Israeli cyber company alleged to have enabled Middle East governments to surveil its citizens. NSO Group has denied involvement.
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Packaged zero-day vulnerabilities on Android used for cyber surveillance attacks
Tech Republic Security
MAY 20, 2022
A commercial surveillance company previously exposed for selling a spyware service dubbed "Predator" keeps targeting users and uses 0-day exploits to compromise Android phones. The post Packaged zero-day vulnerabilities on Android used for cyber surveillance attacks appeared first on TechRepublic.
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Report claims that Serbian authorities abused Cellebrite tool to install NoviSpy spyware
Security Affairs
DECEMBER 16, 2024
Researchers warn of previously undetected surveillance spyware, named NoviSpy, that was found infecting a Serbian journalist’s phone. Then he requested help from Amnesty Internationals Security Lab fearing to be the target of surveillance software like other journalists in Serbia.
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Poland probes Pegasus spyware abuse under the PiS government
Security Affairs
DECEMBER 3, 2024
Poland probes Pegasus spyware abuse under the PiS government; ex-security chief Piotr Pogonowski arrested to testify before parliament. Poland’s government has been investigating the alleged misuse of Pegasus spyware by the previous administration and arrested the former head of Poland’s internal security service Piotr Pogonowski.
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Predator spyware vendor banned in US
Malwarebytes
MARCH 7, 2024
The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Predator spyware vendor Intellexa Consortium, and banned the company from doing business in the US. Predator can turn infected smartphones into surveillance devices. The Entity List is a trade control list created and maintained by the US government.
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LightSpy Spyware's macOS Variant Found with Advanced Surveillance Capabilities
The Hacker News
JUNE 7, 2024
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed that the LightSpy spyware allegedly targeting Apple iOS users is in fact a previously undocumented macOS variant of the implant.
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U.S. Judge ordered NSO Group to hand over the Pegasus spyware code to WhatsApp
Security Affairs
MARCH 2, 2024
Court ordered surveillance firm NSO Group to hand over the source code for its Pegasus spyware and other products to Meta. Meta won the litigation against the Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group , a U.S. from April 29, 2018, to May 10, 2020). from April 29, 2018, to May 10, 2020).
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US Gov sanctioned Intellexa Consortium individuals and entities behind Predator spyware attacks
Security Affairs
MARCH 5, 2024
government sanctioned two individuals and five entities linked to the development and distribution of the Predator spyware used to target Americans. The surveillance software was also used to spy on U.S. The Department of the Treasury warns that the proliferation of commercial spyware poses growing risks to the United States.
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U.S. Gov imposes visa restrictions on individuals misusing Commercial Spyware
Security Affairs
FEBRUARY 6, 2024
government imposes visa restrictions on individuals who are involved in the illegal use of commercial spyware. State Department announced it is implementing a new policy to impose visa restrictions on individuals involved in the misuse of commercial spyware. The policy underscores the U.S. The policy underscores the U.S.
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Apple Calls Out 'Mercenary Spyware' Vendors Enabling State Surveillance
SecureWorld News
APRIL 15, 2024
Apple has escalated its fight against the commercial spyware industry enabling state actors to conduct highly-targeted cyberattacks against journalists, activists, politicians, and other high-risk individuals around the world. These types of attacks have victims in every country in the world." Just last month, the U.S.
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103 U.S. Imposes Visa Restrictions on those Involved in Illegal Spyware Surveillance
The Hacker News
FEBRUARY 5, 2024
State Department said it's implementing a new policy that imposes visa restrictions on individuals who are linked to the illegal use of commercial spyware to surveil civil society members. Such targeting has been
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U.S. Gov imposed Visa restrictions on 13 individuals linked to commercial spyware activity
Security Affairs
APRIL 23, 2024
Department of State imposed visa restrictions on 13 individuals allegedly linked to the commercial spyware business. The US Department of State is imposing visa restrictions on 13 individuals involved in the development and sale of commercial spyware or their immediate family members. ” In February, the U.S. .
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New LightSpy Spyware Version Targets iPhones with Increased Surveillance Tactics
The Hacker News
OCTOBER 31, 2024
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered an improved version of an Apple iOS spyware called LightSpy that not only expands on its functionality, but also incorporates destructive capabilities to prevent the compromised device from booting up.
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AI and Mass Spying
Schneier on Security
DECEMBER 5, 2023
Spying and surveillance are different but related things. If I hired that same private detective to put you under surveillance, I would get a different report: where you went, whom you talked to, what you purchased, what you did. Before the internet, putting someone under surveillance was expensive and time-consuming.
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Pegasus Project – how governments use Pegasus spyware against journalists
Security Affairs
JULY 19, 2021
Pegasus Project investigation into the leak of 50,000 phone numbers of potential surveillance targets revealed the abuse of NSO Group’s spyware. Pegasus Project is the name of a large-scale investigation into the leak of 50,000 phone numbers of potential surveillance targets that revealed the abuse of NSO Group’s spyware.
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Experts link Hermit spyware to Italian surveillance firm RCS Lab and a front company
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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Russia’s FSB used spyware against a Russian programmer
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. ” continues the report.
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Google updates policies to ban any ads for surveillance solutions and services
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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Apple Expands Spyware Alert System to Warn Users of Mercenary Attacks
The Hacker News
APRIL 10, 2024
Apple on Wednesday revised its documentation pertaining to its mercenary spyware threat notification system to mention that it alerts users when they may have been individually targeted by such attacks.
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NSO Group spyware used to compromise iPhones of 9 US State Dept officials
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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Meta Warns of 8 Spyware Firms Targeting iOS, Android, and Windows Devices
The Hacker News
FEBRUARY 19, 2024
operating in the surveillance-for-hire industry. The spyware targeted iOS, Android, and Windows devices. Meta Platforms said it took a series of steps to curtail malicious activity from eight different firms based in Italy, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) Their various malware included
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Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream is shutting down amidst spyware accusations
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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QuaDream surveillance firm’s spyware targeted iPhones with zero-click exploit
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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European Data Protection Supervisor call for bans on surveillance spyware like Pegasus
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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NSO Group Exploited WhatsApp to Install Pegasus Spyware Even After Meta's Lawsuit
The Hacker News
NOVEMBER 17, 2024
Legal documents released as part of an ongoing legal tussle between Meta's WhatsApp and NSO Group have revealed that the Israeli spyware vendor used multiple exploits targeting the messaging app to deliver Pegasus, including one even after it was sued by Meta for doing so.
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Cytrox’s Predator spyware used zero-day exploits in 3 campaigns
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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Google: Predator spyware infected Android devices using zero-days
Bleeping Computer
MAY 22, 2022
Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) says that state-backed threat actors used five zero-day vulnerabilities to install Predator spyware developed by commercial surveillance developer Cytrox. [.].
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Commercial spyware vendors are behind most zero-day exploits discovered by Google TAG
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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Apple dismisses lawsuit against surveillance firm NSO Group due to risk of threat intelligence exposure
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. ” reads the court filing.
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Zero-day vulnerabilities in Chrome and Android exploited by commercial spyware
Malwarebytes
MAY 24, 2022
The Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG) has revealed that of the nine zero-day vulnerabilities affecting Chrome, Android, Apple and Microsoft that it reported in 2021, five were in use by a single commercial surveillance company. Government spyware. Did I hear someone say Pegasus ? An educated guess, but wrong in this case.
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German authorities raid the offices of the FinFisher surveillance firm
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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Greek intelligence service used surveillance malware to spy on a journalist, Reuters reports
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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iPhones running latest iOS hacked to deploy NSO Group spyware
Bleeping Computer
JULY 19, 2021
Human rights non-governmental organization Amnesty International and non-profit project Forbidden Stories revealed in a recent report that they found spyware made by Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group deployed on iPhones running Apple's latest iOS release, hacked using zero-day zero-click iMessage exploits. [.].
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The iPhone of a Russian journalist was infected with the Pegasus spyware
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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Mollitiam Industries is the Newest Cyberweapons Arms Manufacturer
Schneier on Security
JUNE 23, 2021
Its spyware is also said to be equipped with a keylogger, which means every keystroke made on an infected device — including passwords, search queries and messages sent via encrypted messaging apps — can be tracked and monitored.
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