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

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

MAY 29, 2023

Cisco Talos and the Citizen Lab researchers have published a technical analysis of the powerful Android spyware Predator. Security researchers at Cisco Talos and the Citizen Lab have shared technical details about a commercial Android spyware named Predator that is sold by the surveillance firm Intellexa (formerly known as Cytrox).

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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

JULY 20, 2023

China-linked group APT41 was spotted using two previously undocumented Android spyware called WyrmSpy and DragonEgg China-linked APT group APT41 has been observed using two previously undocumented Android spyware called WyrmSpy and DragonEgg. Upon installing the two spyware, they request extensive device permissions.

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Security Affairs

MARCH 3, 2023

The phone of an opposition-linked Polish mayor was infected with the powerful Pegasus spyware, local media reported. Reuters reported that the phone of an opposition-linked Polish mayor was infected with the Pegasus spyware. According to rumors, the Polish special services are using surveillance software to spy on government opponents.

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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

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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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

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

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

AUGUST 2, 2022

Austria is investigating a report that an Austrian firm DSIRF developed spyware targeting law firms, banks and consultancies. The group targets entities in Europe and Central America with a surveillance tool dubbed Subzero. “Of course, DSN (the National Security and Intelligence Directorate) checks the allegations.

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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

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 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

JUNE 7, 2023

June 2023 security update for Android released by Google fixes about fifty flaws, including an Arm Mali GPU bug exploited by surveillance firms in their spyware. The June 2023 Android Security Bulletin provides details about the fix for more than fifty vulnerabilities affecting Android devices. In early April, U.S.

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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

FEBRUARY 10, 2022

I transcribed a recent interview, here some questions and answers about nation-state hacking, spyware, and cyber warfare. Enjoy” How has spyware changed the rules of cyber security in recent years? What will cyber security look like now that those tools are all over the internet? Anyway, it is not the only one.

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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.

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Security Affairs

AUGUST 24, 2021

Citizen Lab uncovered a new zero-click iMessage exploit that was used to deploy the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on devices belonging to Bahraini activists. Researchers from Citizen Lab spotted a zero-click iMessage exploit that was used to deploy NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on Bahraini activists’ devices.

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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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Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 24, 2021

Apple has filed suit to ban the Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group and parent company Q Cyber Technologies from using its product and services. federal court for illegally targeting its customers with the surveillance spyware Pegasus. Apple has sued NSO Group and its parent company Q Cyber Technologies in a U.S.

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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

JANUARY 28, 2022

Finland Ministry for Foreign Affairs revealed that devices of Finnish diplomats have been infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs revealed that the devices of some Finnish diplomats have been compromised with the infamous NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. 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

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

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

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

MARCH 29, 2023

Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) discovered several exploit chains targeting Android, iOS, and Chrome to install commercial spyware. The exploit chains were used to install commercial spyware and malicious apps on targets’ devices. The experts pointed out that both campaigns were limited and highly targeted.

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Security Affairs

NOVEMBER 26, 2021

A threat actor, tracked as APT C-23, is using new powerful Android spyware in attacks aimed at targets in the Middle East. The APT C-23 cyberespionage group (also known as GnatSpy, FrozenCell, or VAMP) continues to target entities in the Middle East with enhanced Android spyware masqueraded as seemingly harmless app updates (i.e.

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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

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

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

Experts spotted a new variant of the FinFisher surveillance spyware that is able to hijack and replace the Windows UEFI bootloader to infect Windows machines. Kaspersky experts shared the results of an 8-months investigation into FinSpy spyware at the Security Analyst Summit (SAS) 2021.

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Security Affairs

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

Researchers reported that the top-of-the-line Android mobile devices sold in China are shipped with malware. The experts pointed out that also users that leave the country are exposed to surveillance, through the pre-installed software. The researchers also compared the preinstalled system apps on the Chinese (CN) and Global (e.g.,

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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. ( Pierluigi Paganini.

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Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 27, 2020

Experts from Amnesty International uncovered a surveillance campaign that targeted Egyptian civil society organizations with a new version of FinSpy spyware. The binaries are obfuscated and do some checks to detect if the spyware is running in a Virtual Machine. ” reads the Amnesty’s report.

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Security Affairs

AUGUST 7, 2022

Every week the best security articles from Security Affairs free for you in your email box. Greek intelligence service used surveillance malware to spy on a journalist, Reuters reports Slack resets passwords for about 0.5% If you want to also receive for free the newsletter with the international press subscribe here.

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