Microsoft, Apple versus China, spyware actors
Tech Republic Security
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023
It’s a cat-and-mouse struggle as tech giants Microsoft and Apple deal with persistent threats from China state actors and Pegasus spyware.
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Tech Republic Security
APRIL 12, 2024
Apple recommends that iPhone users install software updates, use strong passwords and 2FA, and don’t open links or attachments from suspicious emails to keep their device safe from spyware.
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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.
Tech Republic Security
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
Designed to combat zero-day flaws exploited in Apple's operating systems, the patch applies to the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.
IT Toolbox
SEPTEMBER 11, 2023
The Pegasus spyware can read messages, track locations, and remotely operate phone cameras and microphones. The post Apple Releases Emergency Patch for Pegasus Spyware Vulnerability appeared first on Spiceworks.
IT Toolbox
APRIL 12, 2024
Apple has issued a new warning to iPhone users in 92 countries about mercenary spyware attacks. The post Apple Warns iPhone Users About Mercenary Spyware Attacks appeared first on Spiceworks. Find out more about the threat and the risks associated with it.
IT Toolbox
JANUARY 18, 2024
The post iShutdown Method Makes Finding Spyware on Apple iPhones Easier appeared first on Spiceworks. Kaspersky has released Python scripts to automate the process for easy evaluations.
IT Toolbox
APRIL 12, 2023
The Reign spyware has audio and call recording, picture taking, location tracking, self-destruct, and other functionality. The post New Report Blows the Lid on Another iPhone Spyware appeared first on Spiceworks.
Network World
AUGUST 25, 2016
Apple is issuing patches for three iOS zero-day vulnerabilities known as Trident that have been exploited for years by an Israel-based spyware vendor against a human rights activist, an investigative journalist and others.
TechSpot
JULY 11, 2024
Apple has warned iPhone users in 98 countries of potential mercenary spyware attacks. This follows a similar threat notification issued in April to users in 92 nations, suggesting that the problem of spyware is growing or at least not being curtailed. Read Entire Article
IT Toolbox
APRIL 16, 2024
Find out more about the spyware implant and the risk it poses to Apple devices. The post LightSpy Spyware Campaign Targets iPhones Across South Asia appeared first on Spiceworks Inc. Security researchers have uncovered a new cyber espionage campaign primarily targeting iPhone users in South Asia.
Network World
AUGUST 25, 2016
The claims -- from research at Toronto-based Citizen Lab and mobile security firm Lookout -- focus on spyware that targeted Ahmed Mansoor, an activist in the United Arab Emirates. However, inside the message was a link that, once clicked, can infect an iPhone with spyware, using three zero-day exploits of iOS, the research found.
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. Apple introduced Lockdown Mode in mid-2022 as a response to this growing threat.
TechSpot
DECEMBER 30, 2023
A new report from Kaspersky's security team outlines all the currently known details of "Triangulation," arguably the most sophisticated iOS spyware ever discovered. The most intriguing detail is that it relies on exploits hidden so deeply that virtually no one outside of Apple could have known about them. Read Entire Article
The Verge
NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Now Apple has followed WhatsApp and its parent company Meta (formerly known as Facebook) in suing Pegasus spyware maker NSO Group. Apple: NSO agreed to the iCloud Terms of Service. The lawsuit is a “stake in the ground” for Apple. Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge.
The Verge
DECEMBER 27, 2021
Several members of political opposition groups in Poland have produced evidence that they were hacked by Pegasus spyware, raising alarming questions about the Polish government’s use of the software. In both cases, traces of Pegasus spyware were found on the targets’ devices. a threat to “the rules-based international order”.
TechSpot
APRIL 11, 2024
Apple did not reveal the attackers' identity or list the countries of concern. In its message, Apple warned users that they were targets of "a mercenary spyware attack" to compromise their iPhones remotely. However, anonymous sources told TechCrunch that iPhone owners in India are among those receiving the alerts.
SecureWorld News
SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
The sanctions target key players developing and distributing the "Predator" spyware, which the Treasury describes as a "significant threat to the national security of the United States." The action against Intellexa comes amid a rapidly evolving commercial spyware landscape. The Treasury's sanctions are part of a broader U.S.
TechSpot
DECEMBER 3, 2021
Reuters' sources indicated that US officials, either based in Uganda or working on issues concerning Uganda, received warnings from Apple that their iPhones were being targeted with spyware from Israel-based NSO over the last several months.
SecureWorld News
JULY 8, 2022
Apple announced plans to launch a new security feature called "Lockdown Mode" that will be available this fall when Apple releases its annual iOS update. The NSO Group, and others, are helping cybercriminals and nation-states accomplish this, but Apple has a plan to defend against these attacks.
SecureWorld News
SEPTEMBER 13, 2023
Alarming details have emerged about the exploitation of two Zero-Day vulnerabilities to deploy NSO Group's Pegasus commercial spyware on iPhones. Citizen Lab says that it immediately disclosed these findings to Apple and assisted in its investigation. Apple followed up with a security update last week.
Gizmodo
SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
Apple just released an emergency patch to a security flaw that let NSO Group’s horrifying Pegasus spyware infect a target’s Apple devices—including their iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. The headline says it all, folks. Read more.
SecureWorld News
OCTOBER 24, 2022
The journalist's iPhone received a command to open the Apple Music app without the victim's knowledge or even touching the phone. The app then connected to a malicious server and downloaded spyware to the phone, listening in on calls and viewing text messages for nearly a year and a half. Read the full Bloomberg article.
TechSpot
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023
Watchdog group Citizen Lab recently found two zero-day iPhone vulnerabilities that allow Pegasus spyware a way into the device. The flaws were used to spy on an unnamed individual employed by a Washington DC civil society organization, abusing an exploit chain the researchers referred to as BLASTPASS. Read Entire Article
SecureWorld News
APRIL 12, 2022
The Israeli-based company—known for its Pegasus spyware that has been used to target journalists, politicians, and executives all over the world—was blacklisted by the United States government in November 2021. Interestingly enough, there is a much smaller vendor who sells a nearly identical spyware tool to government clients, named QuaDream.
The Verge
DECEMBER 21, 2020
36 personal phones belonging to Al Jazeera journalists, producers, anchors, and executives were hacked in a spyware campaign between July and August 2020, a new report from Citizen Lab alleges. It has disclosed its findings to Apple, and the company is looking into the issue. Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge.
TechSpot
JULY 6, 2022
When iOS 16, iPad OS 16, and macOS Venture launch later this year, they will introduce a new feature called Lockdown Mode, which will heavily restrict communications to thwart spyware. Apple has accused groups like NSO and RCS Labs of developing spyware used in recent targeted political cyberattacks.
SecureWorld News
FEBRUARY 6, 2023
The unsuspecting victims of the illegal spyware sold by tech CEO Patrick Hinchy felt the painful sting of this violation of privacy firsthand, as their every call, text, location, and online activity was being monitored without their knowledge or consent.
SecureWorld News
JULY 18, 2022
The controversial Pegasus spyware continues to stay in the news cycle, as a new report from the Citizen Lab details how the technology was used to target pro-democracy activists in Thailand. The increase in surveillance also means the use of Pegasus spyware. Pegasus spyware in Thailand. So, what is the situation in Thailand?
TechSpot
AUGUST 25, 2022
John Ozbay, head of privacy tech company Cryptee, told Vice he thinks Apple's upcoming Lockdown Mode will be highly susceptible to device fingerprinting. This core design flaw could paint a target on users who engage the mode to avoid tracking methods like spyware.
SecureWorld News
OCTOBER 5, 2023
Among all the mobile platforms, Apple's iOS stands out as a significant focus for these hackers. Apple recently issued an emergency security update in response to actively exploited iOS Zero-Day vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-42824 and CVE-2023-5217). Apple's relentless security upgrades spur attackers to continuously innovate.
The Verge
JULY 23, 2021
Throughout the past week, we’ve seen story after story about a company called NSO Group, and a piece of spyware called Pegasus. Amnesty International ran detailed forensics on 67 smartphones to look for evidence that they were targeted by Pegasus spyware — and 37 of those phones tested positive. Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge.
Computerworld Vertical IT
SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
Apple announced its latest additions to its iPhone lineup, as well as a new iPad mini, at its "California Streaming" event on Tuesday. Both devices will be powered by Apple's new A15 Bionic processor. Plus, Michael, Ken and Juliet discuss Apple's response to the Pegasus spyware flaw.
The Verge
DECEMBER 3, 2021
At least nine employees of the US State Department working in or with Uganda had their iPhones hacked with spyware made by NSO Group, according to a report from Reuters. NSO has claimed that its spyware isn’t able to target US phone numbers (that is, numbers with a country code of +1).
CTOvision
DECEMBER 4, 2014
Samsung Picks Israeli Bio-Sensing Technology LifeBEAM as Asset in Fighting … LifeBEAM, an Israeli developer of bio-sensing technology, will play a pivotal role in helping Samsung compete head to head with Apples smart watches. How Apple Forces New Technology to Improve the Future. Technology News App Store (iOS) Apple Inc.
SecureWorld News
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
The Toronto-based research group works to protect journalists and activists from cyberattacks and spyware. And oftentimes they come across new tech-enabled spying efforts from Israel-based NSO Group, which claims to carefully vet sales of its spyware. Citizen Lab discovers zero-day and zero-click spyware. gif” extension.
TechSpot
SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
On Monday, Apple pushed out emergency updates for iOS, watchOS, and macOS. The security patches were issued in response to a massive exploit that allowed the operating systems to be infected with spyware without interaction from the user.
The Verge
JULY 21, 2021
Amnesty International — part of the group that helped break the news of journalists and heads of state being targeted by NSO’s government-grade spyware, Pegasus — has released a tool to check if your phone has been affected. You’ll then need to locate that backup, which Apple provides instructions for.
SecureWorld News
NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Apple is suing NSO Group, the company most known for its ability to hack iPhones using previously un-discovered Zero-Day vulnerabilities. And Apple's Head of Security Engineering and Architecture was extremely blunt when he announced the lawsuit on Twitter. And that's why Apple is suing. And he didn't stop there.
Gizmodo
JULY 19, 2021
Amazon has cut off web hosting services for the NSO Group, an Israeli spyware firm that has been widely accused of aiding in the surveillance of journalists and political dissidents. Read more.
TechSpot
NOVEMBER 26, 2021
The Israeli-based company is responsible for developing and deploying Pegasus, a mobile spyware application capable of reading text messages, tracking calls, collecting passwords, and tracking location on.
Gizmodo
DECEMBER 3, 2021
Apple recently revealed a new policy that would notify users if their devices were the targets of a state-sponsored attack conducted using spyware from Israeli surveillance-for-hire firm NSO Group. Now, just weeks later, a new report from Reuters claims at least nine U.S. State Department officials found themselves on… Read more.
Computerworld Vertical IT
NOVEMBER 24, 2021
Apple has punched back against the “amoral” surveillance as a service industry of smartphone snoopers, filing suit against the NSO Group and its owner, Q Cyber Technologies, and taking steps to further secure digital lives. Israeli firm NSO Group is a spyware firm that provides surveillance services to governments.
SecureWorld News
FEBRUARY 14, 2023
Apple users are being urged to update their devices as soon as possible, following the discovery of multiple Zero-Day vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited by hackers. It is unclear if the Zero-Day was exploited in attacks linked to mercenary spyware vendors.
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