Malware, Social Engineering, Spyware and Surveillance

Sophisticated Android spyware PhoneSpy infected thousands of Korean phones

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.

Spyware

Spyware Mobile Social Engineering Surveillance

APT C-23 group targets Middle East with an enhanced Android spyware variant

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.

Spyware

Spyware Social Engineering Surveillance Engineering

Security Affairs newsletter Round 435 by Pierluigi Paganini – International edition

Security Affairs

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

Enjoy a new round of the weekly SecurityAffairs newsletter, including the international press.

Social Engineering

Social Engineering Spyware Data breaches Surveillance

Top Methods Use By Hackers to Bypass Two-Factor Authentication

Hacker's King

MAY 20, 2023

However, if hackers gain access to these tokens through social engineering, phishing attacks, or other means, they can bypass 2FA by directly entering the codes, granting them unauthorized access. Social Engineering: Guarding Against Manipulation Social engineering remains a potent tool in hackers’ arsenal.

Authentication

Authentication Social Engineering Spyware Engineering

Facebook took action against China-linked APT targeting Uyghur activists

Security Affairs

MARCH 25, 2021

Facebook has closed accounts used by a China-linked APT to distribute malware to spy on Uyghurs activists, journalists, and dissidents living outside China. This group used various cyber-espionage tactics to identify its targets and infect their devices with malware to enable surveillance.”

Surveillance

Surveillance Social Engineering Malware Spyware

Zero-Click Attacks a Growing Threat

eSecurity Planet

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Most attacks make would-be victims click to install malware or redirect them to a phishing page to steal their credentials. There is no need for social engineering , as the program can implant backdoors directly without forced consent. Spyware and Zero-Days: A Troubling Market. Zero-click attacks remove this hurdle.

Spyware

Spyware Software Government Social Engineering

Microsoft Patch Tuesday, September 2021 Edition

Krebs on Security

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

Also, Apple has issued an emergency update to fix a flaw that’s reportedly been abused to install spyware on iOS products, and Google ‘s got a new version of Chrome that tackles two zero-day flaws. Finally, Adobe has released critical security updates for Acrobat , Reader and a slew of other software.

Spyware

Spyware Social Engineering Surveillance Internet

Advanced threat predictions for 2022

SecureList

NOVEMBER 17, 2021

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have claimed that threat actors have been using catfishing to lure Israeli soldiers into installing spyware. This included DarkHotel and APT29 (aka CozyDuke and CozyBear) with their WellMess malware ( as attributed by the UK NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre ). Mobile devices exposed to wide attacks.

Mobile

Mobile Surveillance Ransomware Government

What is Malware? Definition, Purpose & Common Protections

eSecurity Planet

OCTOBER 21, 2022

Anyone who has used a computer for any significant length of time has probably at least heard of malware. Malware has been present in the digital space since the 1980s, with early prank malware like the Morris Worm or the (c)Brain. However, malware is not quite as amusing in a modern context. How Does Malware Work?

Malware

Malware Adware Spyware Antivirus

APT annual review 2021

SecureList

NOVEMBER 30, 2021

Based on forensic analysis of numerous mobile devices, Amnesty International’s Security Lab found that the software was repeatedly used in an abusive manner for surveillance. Based on our observations, this is further complicated by the deployment of non-persistent malware, which leaves almost no traces after reboot.

Malware

Malware Mobile Spyware Surveillance

APT trends report Q1 2021

SecureList

APRIL 27, 2021

In our initial report on Sunburst , we examined the method used by the malware to communicate with its C2 (command-and-control) server and the protocol used to upgrade victims for further exploitation. This campaign made use of a previously unknown malware family we dubbed FourteenHi.

Malware

Malware Spyware Government Social Engineering

APT trends report Q3 2021

SecureList

OCTOBER 26, 2021

Following this, they were tricked into downloading previously unknown malware. The backdoor, dubbed Tomiris, bears a number of similarities to the second-stage malware, Sunshuttle (aka GoldMax), used by DarkHalo last year. When victims tried to access their corporate mail, they were redirected to a fake copy of the web interface.

Malware

Malware Government Surveillance Spyware

Advanced threat predictions for 2024

SecureList

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

The malware posed as ransomware, demanding money from the victims for “decrypting” their data. UNC4841 deployed new malware designed to maintain presence on a small subset of high-priority targets compromised either before the patch was released or shortly afterwards. Verdict: prediction not fulfilled ❌ 7.

Hacking

Hacking Energy and Utilities Media Malware

Cyber Security Informer

Sophisticated Android spyware PhoneSpy infected thousands of Korean phones

APT C-23 group targets Middle East with an enhanced Android spyware variant

Trending Sources

Security Affairs newsletter Round 435 by Pierluigi Paganini – International edition

Top Methods Use By Hackers to Bypass Two-Factor Authentication

Facebook took action against China-linked APT targeting Uyghur activists

Zero-Click Attacks a Growing Threat

Microsoft Patch Tuesday, September 2021 Edition

Advanced threat predictions for 2022

What is Malware? Definition, Purpose & Common Protections

APT annual review 2021

APT trends report Q1 2021

APT trends report Q3 2021

Advanced threat predictions for 2024

Stay Connected