Collaborate Disseminate
We’re living in the golden age of spyware and government hacking, with companies rushing to join a blossoming billion dollar market. The weakest among us—activists or journalists—will suffer the consequences if we don’t regulate it appropriately. Continue reading It’s Amateur Hour in the World of Spyware and Victims Will Pay the Price
Human rights charity Amnesty International has found hackers attempted to infect one of their researcher’s phones with malware from Israeli vendor NSO Group. Continue reading Powerful Smartphone Malware Used to Target Amnesty International Researcher
Your company doesn’t have to work in the field of high-tech surveillance and spyware to find itself at risk from insiders.
Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog.
Continue reading Disgruntled programmer accused of trying to sell his firm’s iPhone spyware for $50 million
In an industry that tends to be quiet by design, a new international firm is deliberately making noise. Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, Crowdfense first attracted attention in April when it announced a $10 million fund to pay enterprising hackers for zero-day exploits that the company then turns around to sell to government customers. The payouts include up to $3 million for hackers who break into iOS and Android devices. The big money comes paired with an earnest promise of “transparency” that is unique in an industry where secrecy is standard operating procedure. Crowdfense director Andrea Zapparoli Manzoni told CyberScoop that he wants to “do things differently.” The zero-day industry uncovers — through research or by purchase — exploits in computer systems and then sells them to the highest bidder. Many governments and even some private companies are involved in the business. Crowdfense shares a lot in common with its closest competitor […]
The post The zero-day industry tries ‘transparency’ in Dubai appeared first on Cyberscoop.
Continue reading The zero-day industry tries ‘transparency’ in Dubai
At 3:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, masked men rushed into Ahmed Mansoor’s family home and took him into custody. An internationally-renowned human rights activist from the United Arab Emirates, Mansoor and his family were left without explanation as to why he was being taken away. However, they are accustomed to this type of situation. Mansoor has been a constant target of government pressure for a decade, including being jailed for eight months in 2011 for “insulting officials.” The pressure often takes the form of an endless stream of cyberattacks and surveillance. The March incident was no different, as police confiscated all of his electronic devices, many of which have been the target of repeated government-sponsored hacking. Mansoor’s unparalleled history of being hacked has led observers to label him the most spied upon man in the world. “They’re really, really trying to get this guy as much as they can,” Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marczak […]
The post ISS World: The traveling spyware roadshow for dictatorships and democracies appeared first on Cyberscoop.
Continue reading ISS World: The traveling spyware roadshow for dictatorships and democracies
‘Million dollar dissident’ Ahmed Mansoor’s actions protected millions of iPhone users from sophisticated spyware. If you care about your privacy and security, you should be fighting for his release. Continue reading The Guy Who Saved Your iPhone From Hackers Is Stuck in a UAE Jail
If you’re a user of Apple products you should know that critical updates have been pushed out for iOS and OS X in the last couple of weeks, addressing vulnerabilities that state-sponsored hackers have been using to spy upon people of interest.
Malware … Continue reading Podcast with Ahmed Mansoor, the world’s most spied-on man
Apple has patched the Trident vulnerabilities in OS X and Safari. The flaws were originally disclosed in iOS and used to spy on a UAE human rights activist. Continue reading Apple Patches Trident Vulnerabilities in OS X, Safari
Exploits against iOS don’t always translate into exploits against OS X, but in this case it seems they do. Continue reading Patch now! Recent iOS vulnerability affects Macs too
This 46-year-old human rights defender has been a constant hacking target for the UAE government. Continue reading The ‘Million Dollar Dissident’ Is a Magnet for Government Spyware