Randal B. on LinkedIn: FBI investigation reveals that it was unknowingly using NSO-backed spyware… (2024)

FBI investigation reveals that it was unknowingly using NSO-backed spywarehttps://ift.tt/iowINZOA New York Times investigation uncovered earlier this year that the US government used spyware made by Israeli hacking firm NSO. Now, after an FBI investigation into who was using the tech, the department uncovered a confusing answer: itself, according to the New York Times on Monday.Since 2021, the Biden administration has taken steps toward parting ways with NSO, given the firm's reputation for shady tools like Pegasus that lets governments discreetly download personal information from hacked phones without the user's knowledge. But even after the president signed an executive order banning commercial spyware in March, an FBI contractor used NSO's geolocation product Landmark to track the locations of targets in Mexico.The FBI had inked a deal with telecommunications firm Riva Networks to track drug smugglers in Mexico, according to TheTimes. The spyware let US officials track mobile phones because of existing security gaps in the country's cellphone networks. While the FBI says it was misled by Riva Networks into using the tech, and has since terminated the contract, people with direct knowledge of the situation said the FBI used the spyware as recently this year.This isn't the FBI's first run in with NSO and its spyware tools. Prior to the executive order banning the products for government use, the agency considered using Pegasus to aid in its criminal investigations. Spyware generally gained a bad reputation for its use to surveil citizens and suppress political dissent, with NSO considered one of the largest in the business.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/iowINZOvia Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/93r0LhNJuly 31, 2023 at 04:39PM

The Pegasus Spyware Scandal has exposed the vulnerability of our digital world. The invasive software has infiltrated the mobile devices of high-profile figures, stealing sensitive data and tracking movements.#PegasusSpyware #pegasus #spyware #PrivacyBreaches #DigitalSecurity #CyberAttacks #cyberthreat #cybersecurity #vulnerabilities #databreach #dataleak #infosec #threat #data

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PEGASUS SPYWARE infects the victim’s phone through zero-click exploits, meaning the victim doesn’t need to click a link or take any other action to trigger the spyware on their device. ( it uses RF or Ultrasonic techniques for data transfer) “Once installed on an Android or iOS device, Pegasus can secretly monitor and collect sensitive data by:- Reading text messages and emails- Accessing the microphone and camera- Listening in on phone calls- Recording passwords using a keylogger- Tracking the phone’s location- Surveilling app usageThe information Pegasus collects is then secretly uploaded to NSO Group’s cloud servers for storage and analysis. Originally developed as an intelligence-gathering tool with the aim of preventing terrorist attacks, Pegasus spyware has controversially been used to hack the phones of activists, journalists, and even heads of state. Pegasus spyware monitors and collects mobile data including text messages, emails, passwords, location data, and app usage.Pegasus spyware monitors and collects a wide range of sensitive mobile data.What is the NSO Group? The NSO Group is an Israeli cyber-intelligence company specializing in advanced and highly targeted surveillance technology, like the Pegasus software that it licenses to various government security agencies worldwide. “This technology is being used on my mobile devices. I am not a terrorist.This is an invasion to my rights for privacy. It is being leveraged to undermine my work building ZIPPYAR and Bold Living Wear. Israel sells this technology to the private sector and it is being used indiscriminately to spy on individuals and businesses.#privacy #spyware #pegasus #humanrights https://lnkd.in/e8R5_S7V

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When #spyware and stalkerware are present on any of your devices, your privacy is compromised and your personal information and activity can immediately become viewable by unauthorised and potentially dangerous parties. Spyware is thought of as a dangerous kind of #malware that collects information from a computing system without your consent. Spyware can capture keystrokes, screenshots, authentication credentials, personal email addresses, web form data, internet usage habits, and other personal information. The data is often delivered to online attackers who sell it to others or use it themselves for marketing or spam or to execute financial crimes or #identitytheft.Stalkerware is used by people to remotely monitor the activities that take place on another person’s device without their permission. It is often used as a way to keep tabs on children or elderly relatives, but can be used in a malicious manner in abusive relationships for instance.When spyware and stalkerware are present on any of your devices, your private information and activity can immediately become viewable by unauthorised parties and could end up on the dark web.This is why it’s so important to equip your devices with as much protection as possible, and always be vigilant about what you choose to open and download online.In this article Camellia Chan, CEO and founder of FLEXXON talks about the threats of digtal spying and stalkerware and why a multi-layered response to #cyberdefense is essential.Visit Nexus Industrial Memory on stand AA42 at Infosecurity Europe where we'll be demonstrating X-PHY AI Cybersecurity Solutions and find out how you can bolster your defences at the physical hardware layer.

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Biden administration bans federal agencies from using commercial spyware. In an executive order signed Monday, President Biden barred federal agencies from using commercial spyware that threatens US national security or carries a risk of improper use by foreign governments and individuals. The order applies to all departments, including those involved in law enforcement, defense and intelligence. It also prohibits the use of spyware that in the past was used to disclose non-public information about the US government.The executive order the Biden administration published on the White House website doesn’t include a list of affected spyware vendors. Per TechCrunch, government officials declined to name specific firms when asked by reporters. However, the administration said the order includes US and foreign-made spyware. Judging from the criteria laid out in the order, known government spyware makers like Isreal’s NSO Group and Macedonia’s Cytrox are likely affected.As TechCrunch notes, security researchers have long warned of the dangers posed by commercial spyware. Such programs frequently target previously undisclosed vulnerabilities that make entire software ecosystems unsafe. In the case of NSO Group’s infamous Pegasus spyware, the firm exploited a CoreGraphics vulnerability in iOS that allowed the program to infect an iPhone without the victim needing to tap anything. Moreover, while many governments claim to use spyware sparingly to investigate serious crimes, that hasn’t stopped some from using the software for domestic surveillance and to target political dissidents.“We are very concerned about the threat of digital authoritarianism and practices around the world but we are also very cognizant that the misuse of technology can occur in any state,” a White House official told The Hill. “So, we are taking steps to make sure that the way that we would like technology to be used is aligned with human rights and democratic principles all around the world.”On Monday, the Biden administration said at least 50 US federal employees in 10 countries are either suspected or confirmed of having had their devices compromised by spyware. In one recent example, an unknown assailant used the Pegasus spyware to infect iPhones belonging to at least nine US State Department officials stationed in Uganda or whose work involved the East African country. The order follows questions about the US government’s alleged use of commercial spyware. Last fall, The New York Times reported that the FBI had considered using Pegasus in criminal investigations. Between late 2020 and early 2021, agency officials were reportedly in the “advanced” stages of developing plans to brief FBI leadership on the software.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://lnkd.in/gUM59K5N https://lnkd.in/gbQa-dt7

𝗔 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲!The global market for commercial spyware has reached $12 billion, with 80 countries purchasing the technology. Spyware provides remote access to devices, granting complete control over messages, calls, photos, and more. Unfortunately, even non-tech-savvy individuals can access simpler spyware like stalkerware, which requires the physical installation and can be invasive.Our#CEOCamellia Chanhas spotlighted the risks of digital spying and stalking and offered protection tips in a recent interaction with Betanews, Inc. She added, "Embracing innovative and holistic tools is crucial in the global fight against these threats."Full article here---> https://lnkd.in/gcZ-Xvzs#flexxon#xphy#malware#cybersecurity#hackers#cyberwarfare#data #cybersecurity#privacy#stalkerware

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𝗔 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲!The global market for commercial spyware has reached $12 billion, with 80 countries purchasing the technology. Spyware provides remote access to devices, granting complete control over messages, calls, photos, and more. Unfortunately, even non-tech-savvy individuals can access simpler spyware like stalkerware, which requires the physical installation and can be invasive.Our#CEOCamellia Chanhas spotlighted the risks of digital spying and stalking and offered protection tips in a recent interaction with Betanews, Inc. She added, "Embracing innovative and holistic tools is crucial in the global fight against these threats."Full article here---> https://lnkd.in/gcZ-Xvzs#flexxon#xphy#malware#cybersecurity#hackers#cyberwarfare#data #cybersecurity#privacy#stalkerware

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Let's create the problems we sell the solutions for!!!! At least drug dealers are offering poor solutions to your problems. These scumbags, like government, create the problems and sell you solutions. well in the case of government mandate extraction of wealth for their failures. https://lnkd.in/epPdiFchGoogle said Tuesday that it is tracking at least 40 companies involved in the creation of spyware and other hacking tools that are sold to governments and deployed against “high risk” users, including journalists, human rights defenders and dissidents. The vendors — which have developed dozens of tools and tricks to break into phones, laptops, and other devices — have become a major thorn in the side of tech giants like Google and Apple. In a report published by Google on Tuesday, the company called on the U.S. and other governments to take more forceful action against spyware vendors — many of which have not yet drawn headlines or outrage on a global scale. "Until recently, a lack of accountability has enabled the spyware industry to proliferate dangerous surveillance tools around the world,” they said. “Limiting spyware vendors' ability to operate in the U.S. helps to change the incentive structure which has allowed their continued growth." Google’s experience battling spyware vendors goes back to 2017, when they discovered NSO Group’s Chrysaor malware that targeted Android phones. Since then, the company has exposed the activities of several vendors including Variston, RCS Labs and Candiru. Much of Google’s report outlines previous disclosures on several major spyware companies like NSO Group, Candiru, Cy4Gate, DSIRF, Intellexa, Negg, PARSDefense, QuaDream, RCS Lab, Variston, WintegoSystems and others. Google noted that these companies have now surpassed governments in developing sophisticated hacking capabilities. NSO Group, Candiru, Cytrox and Intellexa have been sanctioned by U.S. officials in recent years.

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📈 There’s a market for everything - including criminal activities.The global market for commercial #spyware is currently estimated at an astounding $12 billion. What’s worrying is spyware is becoming accessible even to users lacking advanced tech skills. Cheaper, more rudimentary forms of spyware like stalkerware exist. While there is no one-size-fits all solution which can protect devices universally, we can do everything in our power to bolster defenses. From the hardware layer up to the external layers - leave no door unguarded. Thanks to Betanews, Inc. Inc. for publishing my thoughts in this article: https://lnkd.in/eR4tNkKR#cybersecurity #privacy #stalkerware

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