Spies used Android malware to try collecting intelligence from a Togolese activist, Amnesty says
A threat group known for using Android-based malware to target victims in Southeast Asia has been detected in Africa for the first time, according to Amnesty International research released Wednesday. Attackers tried to trick a Togolese activist into installing Android spyware via a series of WhatsApp messages and emails. The spyware would have allowed attackers to access a wealth of information including files stored on the device, WhatsApp messages as well as access to the phone’s camera and microphone. Spies targeted the human rights advocate, who Amnesty refused to name as a security precaution, between December 2019 and January 2020 during the lead-up to the country’s presidential election. Human rights experts and opposition leaders accused incumbent president Faure Gnassingbé of using police force to silence and brutalize protestors, disrupting election results. Groups including Amnesty International and the United Nations have called for a moratorium on the sale of surveillance technology, […]
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