Government, Hacking and Surveillance - Cyber Security Informer

China Surveillance Company Hacked

Schneier on Security

FEBRUARY 27, 2024

I-Soon sells hacking and espionage services to Chinese national and local government. And they seem to primarily be hacking regionally. Last week, someone posted something like 570 files, images and chat logs from a Chinese company called I-Soon. Lots of details in the news articles.

Surveillance

Surveillance Hacking Government

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.

Surveillance

Surveillance Internet Internet Government

France’s government is giving the police more surveillance power

Security Affairs

JULY 9, 2023

The French government is going to grant law enforcement the power to spy on suspects through smartphones and other devices. “”We’re far away from the totalitarianism of 1984,” George Orwell’s novel about a society under total surveillance, Dupond-Moretti said.

Surveillance

Surveillance Government Spyware IoT

Security Risks of Government Hacking

Schneier on Security

SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

Some of us -- myself included -- have proposed lawful government hacking as an alternative to backdoors. A new report from the Center of Internet and Society looks at the security risks of allowing government hacking. This is the canonical lawful hacking paper.

Government

Government Hacking Risk Surveillance

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.

Surveillance

Surveillance Government Advertising Marketing

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. Pierluigi Paganini.

Surveillance

Surveillance Malware Spyware Government

Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream emerges from the dark

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.

Surveillance

Surveillance Spyware Government Hacking

Is the Belarusian government behind the surveillance Android app banned by Google?

Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Google has removed an app from the Play Store that was used by the Belarusian government to spy on anti-government protesters. Google has removed the app NEXTA LIVE ( com.moonfair.wlkm ) from the official Play Store because it was used by the Belarusian government to spy on anti-government protesters. site (89.223.89[.]47).”

Surveillance

Surveillance Government Advertising Malware

Australian Defense Department will replace surveillance cameras from Chinese firms Hikvision and Dahua

Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

Australia’s Defense Department announced that they will remove surveillance cameras made by Chinese firms linked to the government of Beijing. Australia’s Defense Department is going to replace surveillance cameras made by Chinese firms Hikvision and Dahua, who are linked to the government of Beijing.

Surveillance

Surveillance Government Manufacturing Risk

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. and 14.4.2,

Surveillance

Surveillance Spyware Education Media

Google: China dominates government exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities in 2023

Security Affairs

MARCH 28, 2024

In 2023, the researchers attributed a combined total of 48 out of 58 zero-day vulnerabilities to commercial surveillance vendors (CSVs) and government espionage actors, while 10 zero-day flaws were attributed to financially motivated actors. ” continues the report.

Government

Government Surveillance Cybercrime Ransomware

EU officials were targeted with Israeli surveillance software

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. ” “It was the first time Apple had sent a mass alert to users that they were in government hackers’ crosshairs.” SecurityAffairs – hacking, Pegasus).

Surveillance

Surveillance Software Spyware Hacking

Mexican Drug Cartels with High-Tech Spyware

Schneier on Security

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Sophisticated spyware, sold by surveillance tech companies to Mexican government agencies, are ending up in the hands of drug cartels : As many as 25 private companies — including the Israeli company NSO Group and the Italian firm Hacking Team — have sold surveillance software to Mexican federal and state police forces, but there is little (..)

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Government Software

Latest on the SVR’s SolarWinds Hack

Schneier on Security

JANUARY 5, 2021

The New York Times has an in-depth article on the latest information about the SolarWinds hack (not a great name, since it’s much more far-reaching than that). There is also no indication yet that any human intelligence alerted the United States to the hacking. Its chief executive, Kevin B.

Hacking

Hacking System Administration Software Surveillance

UAE government denies using ToTok for mass surveillance

Security Affairs

DECEMBER 30, 2019

The United Arab Emirates denied reports that the popular mobile app ToTok was used as part of a government massive surveillance program. According to a report recently published by the New York Times , the popular app ToTok was used by the UAE government as a surveillance tool. SecurityAffairs – ToTok, surveillance).

Surveillance

Surveillance Government Telecommunications Advertising

Massive iPhone Hack Targets Uyghurs

Schneier on Security

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

China is being blamed for a massive surveillance operation that targeted Uyghur Muslims. Earlier this year Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) discovered a small collection of hacked websites. The hacked sites were being used in indiscriminate watering hole attacks against their visitors, using iPhone 0-day.

Hacking

Hacking Surveillance Malware Government

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. SecurityAffairs – hacking, K-Electric). The post German authorities raid the offices of the FinFisher surveillance firm appeared first on Security Affairs.

Surveillance

Surveillance Spyware Software Advertising

Google TAG argues surveillance firm RCS Labs was helped by ISPs to infect mobile users

Security Affairs

JUNE 24, 2022

Researchers from Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) revealed that the Italian surveillance firm RCS Labs was helped by some Internet service providers (ISPs) in Italy and Kazakhstan to infect Android and iOS users with their spyware. SecurityAffairs – hacking, RCS Labs). Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook.

Surveillance

Surveillance Mobile Spyware Telecommunications

Anomaly Six, a US surveillance firm that tracks roughly 3 billion devices in real-time

Security Affairs

APRIL 26, 2022

An interesting article published by The Intercept reveals the secretive business of a US surveillance firm named Anomaly Six. According to an interesting analysis published by The Intercept, Anomaly Six is a secretive government contractor that claims to monitor billions of phones worldwide.

Surveillance

Surveillance Mobile Government Media

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.

Spyware

Spyware Government Surveillance Media

UK urges to disconnect Chinese security cameras in government buildings

Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 24, 2022

The British government banned the installation of Chinese-linked security cameras at sensitive facilities due to security risks. Reuters reports that the British government ordered its departments to stop installing Chinese security cameras at sensitive buildings due to security risks. SecurityAffairs – hacking, security cameras).

Government

Government Surveillance Risk Manufacturing

Long-running surveillance campaigns target Uyghurs with BadBazaar and MOONSHINE spyware

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.

Surveillance

Surveillance Spyware Malware Mobile

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. Judge ordered the surveillance firm to hand over the source code for its Pegasus spyware and other products to the social network giant. from April 29, 2018, to May 10, 2020).

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Architecture Software

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. government officials, journalists, and policy experts. government officials, journalists, and policy experts. .

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Government Technology

Data Privacy threat to Americans from Biden government

CyberSecurity Insiders

MAY 3, 2021

In continuation to what NSA is doing, the 100-day-old Biden Government has plans to monitor the online and digital communication activity of American citizens. Cementing the theory was the claims made by Julian Assange in 2017 Wikileaks that stated that CIA hacked and was spying on all the smart phones activity of the US Citizens.

Data privacy

Data privacy Government Surveillance Media

Zero-day exploit used to hack iPhones of Al Jazeera employees

Security Affairs

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Tens of Al Jazeera employees were targeted in a cyber espionage campaign leveraging a zero-click iOS zero-day vulnerability to hack their iPhones. Researchers from Citizen Lab reported that at least 36 Al Jazeera employees were targeted in a cyber espionage campaign leveraging a zero-click iOS zero-day vulnerability to hack their iPhones.

Hacking

Hacking Surveillance Spyware Government

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.

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Telecommunications Mobile

Commercial spyware vendors are behind most zero-day exploits discovered by Google TAG

Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

The latest report published by Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG), titled “ Buying Spying, an in-depth report with our insights into Commercial Surveillance Vendors (CSVs )”, warns of the rise of commercial spyware vendors and the risks to free speech, the free press, and the open internet. ” concludes Google. .

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Government Software

Police Surveillance Footage Leak Raises Security Questions

SecureWorld News

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

More than 600 hours of drone and helicopter surveillance footage from Dallas and Atlanta police departments was leaked last week. According to the article by Wired , two police departments were allegedly storing surveillance data in "an unsecured cloud infrastructure.". Dallas Police Department responds to surveillance data leak.

Surveillance

Surveillance Data breaches Government Manufacturing

Spyware, ransomware and Nation-state hacking: Q&A from a recent interview

Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 10, 2022

I transcribed a recent interview, here some questions and answers about nation-state hacking, spyware, and cyber warfare. Spyware are powerful weapons in the arsenal of governments and cybercrime gangs. Pegasus is probably the most popular surveillance software on the market, it has been developed by the Israeli NSO Group.

Spyware

Spyware Hacking Ransomware Surveillance

Cisco to pay $8.6 million fine for selling flawed surveillance technology to the US Gov

Security Affairs

AUGUST 1, 2019

million to settle a legal dispute for selling vulnerable software to the US government. Back in 2008, a whistle-blower identifies a vulnerability in Cisco video surveillance software, but the tech giant continued to sell the software to US agencies until July 2013. Cisco is going to pay $8.6 ” reported The New York Times.

Surveillance

Surveillance Technology Government Software

NSO CEO claims Facebook wanted NSO surveillance tool to spy on users

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. The researchers also spotted other attacks against a Mexican journalist who reported to the public a story of the corruption in the Mexican government. ”the court filing reads.

Surveillance

Surveillance Spyware Advertising Government

Ukraine’s SBU arrested a member of Pro-Russia hackers group ‘Cyber Army of Russia’

Security Affairs

JANUARY 29, 2024

The hacktivists group is known for having launched DDoS attacks against Western organizations and Ukrainian government agencies. In early December, Ukraine’s SBU announced they shut down two surveillance cameras that were allegedly hacked by the Russian intelligence services to spy on air defense forces and critical infrastructure in Kyiv.

Surveillance

Surveillance DDOS Mobile Hacking

Anonymous hacked other Russian organizations, some of the breaches could be severe

Security Affairs

APRIL 20, 2022

Synesis Surveillance System – Anonymous claims to have hacked the Synesis and Kipod surveillance systems. It was leaked now in response to the Belarusian government taking control of the system. Tell your government to GTFO of #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/1HYikMU99N — NB65 (@xxNB65) April 18, 2022.

Hacking

Hacking Banking Surveillance Engineering

China Says U.S. Hacking Huawei Since 2009

SecureWorld News

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

In a tale as old as the computer, China has once again pointed fingers at the United States, accusing it of hacking into one of its technology companies. accused China of targeting its government organizations with cyberattacks. Of course, this comes about a month after the U.S.

Hacking

Hacking Artificial Intelligence Telecommunications Cyber Attacks

Exodus, a government malware that infected innocent victims

Security Affairs

MARCH 30, 2019

Security researchers have found a new government spyware, tracked as Exodus, that was distributed through the Google Play Store. According to Motherboard, the Android surveillance malware on the Google Play store that was sold to the Italian government by a company that sells surveillance cameras. on November 6, 2017.”

Government

Government Malware Spyware Surveillance

NSA buys internet browsing records from data brokers without a warrant

Security Affairs

JANUARY 29, 2024

Wyden called on the US government to order intelligence agencies to stop buying personal data from Americans that has been obtained illegally by data brokers. government should not be funding and legitimizing a shady industry whose flagrant violations of Americans’ privacy are not just unethical, but illegal.”

Internet

Internet Internet Surveillance Government

Pegasus spyware used to spy on a Polish mayor

Security Affairs

MARCH 3, 2023

According to rumors, the Polish special services are using surveillance software to spy on government opponents. The news of the hack was reported by the Gazeta Wyborcza daily, and unfortunately, it isn’t the first time that the Pegasus spyware was used in the country.

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Hacking Government

Snowden speaks about the role of surveillance firm NSO Group in Khashoggi murder

Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

Snowden warns of abuse of surveillance software that also had a role in the murder of the Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Officially the sale of surveillance software is limited to authorized governments to support investigation of agencies on criminal organizations and terrorist groups. COUNTRY NEXUS. 2012-2014.

Surveillance

Surveillance Spyware Software Advertising

NYT report states that ToTok app is a government spy tool.

Security Affairs

DECEMBER 24, 2019

According to a report published by the New York Times, the popular app ToTok was used by the UAE government as a surveillance tool. The report said US intelligence officials and a security researcher determined the app was being used by the UAE government for detailed surveillance. SecurityAffairs – ToTok, surveillence).

Government

Government Surveillance Advertising Mobile

SEC X account hacked to hawk crypto-scams

Malwarebytes

JANUARY 10, 2024

The approved Bitcoin ETFs will be subject to ongoing surveillance and compliance measures to ensure continued investor protection.” The hack appears to have been designed to take advantage of anticipation around an imminent annoncement by US regulators about Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

Accountability

Accountability Scams Hacking Cryptocurrency

The iPhone of a Russian journalist was infected with the Pegasus spyware

Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

A joint investigation conducted by Access Now and the Citizen Lab revealed that the journalist, who is at odds with the Russian government, was infected with the surveillance software. However, there is no public evidence that the Russian government is a client of the Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group.

Spyware

Spyware Surveillance Media Government

French court indicted Nexa Technologies for complicity in acts of torture

Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

Nexa Technologies was indicted for complicity in acts of torture, the French firm is accused of having sold surveillance equipment to the Egypt. Nexa Technologies offers a range of solutions for homeland security, including surveillance solutions. A weapon of choice for authoritarian governments.” Pierluigi Paganini.

Technology

Technology Surveillance Software Government

Security Blueprints of Many Companies Leaked in Hack of Swedish Firm Gunnebo

Krebs on Security

OCTOBER 28, 2020

In August, Gunnebo said it had successfully thwarted a ransomware attack, but this week it emerged that the intruders stole and published online tens of thousands of sensitive documents — including schematics of client bank vaults and surveillance systems.

Hacking

Hacking Ransomware Banking Accountability

China Surveillance Company Hacked

The Internet Enabled Mass Surveillance. AI Will Enable Mass Spying.

Trending Sources

France’s government is giving the police more surveillance power

Security Risks of Government Hacking

AI and Mass Spying

Greek intelligence service used surveillance malware to spy on a journalist, Reuters reports

Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream emerges from the dark

Is the Belarusian government behind the surveillance Android app banned by Google?

Australian Defense Department will replace surveillance cameras from Chinese firms Hikvision and Dahua

Israeli surveillance firm QuaDream is shutting down amidst spyware accusations

Google: China dominates government exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities in 2023

EU officials were targeted with Israeli surveillance software

Mexican Drug Cartels with High-Tech Spyware

Latest on the SVR’s SolarWinds Hack

UAE government denies using ToTok for mass surveillance

Massive iPhone Hack Targets Uyghurs

German authorities raid the offices of the FinFisher surveillance firm

Google TAG argues surveillance firm RCS Labs was helped by ISPs to infect mobile users

Anomaly Six, a US surveillance firm that tracks roughly 3 billion devices in real-time

Pegasus Project – how governments use Pegasus spyware against journalists

UK urges to disconnect Chinese security cameras in government buildings

Long-running surveillance campaigns target Uyghurs with BadBazaar and MOONSHINE spyware

U.S. Judge ordered NSO Group to hand over the Pegasus spyware code to WhatsApp

US Gov sanctioned Intellexa Consortium individuals and entities behind Predator spyware attacks

Data Privacy threat to Americans from Biden government

Zero-day exploit used to hack iPhones of Al Jazeera employees

Experts link Hermit spyware to Italian surveillance firm RCS Lab and a front company

Commercial spyware vendors are behind most zero-day exploits discovered by Google TAG

Police Surveillance Footage Leak Raises Security Questions

Spyware, ransomware and Nation-state hacking: Q&A from a recent interview

Cisco to pay $8.6 million fine for selling flawed surveillance technology to the US Gov

NSO CEO claims Facebook wanted NSO surveillance tool to spy on users

Ukraine’s SBU arrested a member of Pro-Russia hackers group ‘Cyber Army of Russia’

Anonymous hacked other Russian organizations, some of the breaches could be severe

China Says U.S. Hacking Huawei Since 2009

Exodus, a government malware that infected innocent victims

NSA buys internet browsing records from data brokers without a warrant

Pegasus spyware used to spy on a Polish mayor

Snowden speaks about the role of surveillance firm NSO Group in Khashoggi murder

NYT report states that ToTok app is a government spy tool.

SEC X account hacked to hawk crypto-scams

The iPhone of a Russian journalist was infected with the Pegasus spyware

French court indicted Nexa Technologies for complicity in acts of torture

Security Blueprints of Many Companies Leaked in Hack of Swedish Firm Gunnebo

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