Spyware

Researchers say they found spyware used in war for the first time

Security researchers and digital rights organizations believe the government of Azerbaijan used spyware produced by NSO Group to target a government worker, journalists, activists and the human rights

Apple’s high security mode blocked NSO spyware, researchers say

Last year, Apple launched a new feature for iPhone users who are worried about getting targeted with sophisticated spyware, such as journalists or human rights defenders. Now, researchers say they hav

Mercenary spyware hacked iPhone victims with rogue calendar invites, researchers say

Hackers using spyware made by a little known cyber mercenary company used malicious calendar invites to hack the iPhones of journalists, political opposition figures and an NGO worker, according to tw

Hackers used spyware made in Spain to target users in the UAE, Google says

In November 2022, Google revealed the existence of a then-unknown spyware vendor called Variston. Now, Google researchers say they have seen hackers use Variston’s tools in the United Arab Emirates.

Digital rights defenders infiltrate alleged mercenary hacking group

Cooper Quintin has been tracking the activities of a cyber mercenary group called Dark Caracal for years. On July 28, 2022, he said he discovered traces of a new ongoing hacking campaign by the group

New York attorney general orders stalkerware maker to notify hacked victims

A New York-based spyware maker has agreed to notify the individuals whose phones were compromised by its mobile surveillance software, following a deal with the New York attorney general’s offic

Supreme Court declines to block WhatsApp lawsuit over NSO phone hacking

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to block a lawsuit brought by WhatsApp challenging the alleged mass phone hacking by Israeli spyware maker NSO Group. Meta-owned WhatsApp first filed a suit against

Apple fixes ‘actively exploited’ zero-day security vulnerability affecting most iPhones

Apple has confirmed that an iPhone software update it released two weeks ago fixed a zero-day security vulnerability that it now says was actively exploited. The update, iOS 16.1.2, landed on November

Spyware vendor Variston exploited Chrome, Firefox and Windows zero-days, says Google

A Barcelona-based company that bills itself as a custom security solutions provider exploited several zero-day vulnerabilities in Windows, and Chrome and Firefox browsers to plant spyware, say Google

WhatsApp fixes ‘critical’ security bug that put Android phone data at risk

WhatsApp has published details of a “critical”-rated security vulnerability affecting its Android app that could allow attackers to remotely plant malware on a victim’s smartphone during

US arm of Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems says it was hacked

Elbit Systems of America, the U.S. arm of Israeli defense contractor Elbit, says its network was compromised in early June and personal information of employees was stolen. In a breach notification fi

Twitter. Whistle. Blown. (and other TC news)

This week on The TechCrunch Podcast we’re talking to Zack Whittaker about TechCrunch’s new spyware lookup tool and a whistleblower complaint against Twitter alleging massive security issues. Tim D

Daily Crunch: Google will unplug its IoT Core service in August 2023

Hello, friends, and welcome to Daily Crunch, bringing you the most important startup, tech and venture capital news in a single package.

TechCrunch launches TheTruthSpy spyware lookup tool

TechCrunch today launched a spyware lookup tool that allows anyone to check if their Android device was compromised by a network of consumer-grade stalkerware apps, including TheTruthSpy. The aim is t

Hands-on with Lockdown Mode in iOS 16

Lockdown Mode is a new Apple feature you should hope you’ll never need to use. But for those who do, like journalists, politicians, lawyers and human rights defenders, it’s a last line of

Spyware maker Candiru linked to Chrome zero-day targeting journalists

Security researchers have linked the discovery of an actively exploited but since-fixed zero-day vulnerability in Google Chrome to an Israeli spyware maker targeting journalists in the Middle East. Cy

Apple says Lockdown Mode in iOS 16 will help block government spyware attacks

Apple said Wednesday it will bring a new “Lockdown Mode” to its upcoming iPhone and Mac software that will switch off certain features aimed at helping targeted individuals combat governme

Google is notifying Android users targeted by Hermit government-grade spyware

Security researchers at Lookout recently tied a previously unattributed Android mobile spyware, dubbed Hermit, to Italian software house RCS Lab. Now, Google threat researchers have confirmed much of

Researchers say Hermit, a powerful mobile spyware, is used by governments

Security researchers at Lookout have released new details about an Android spyware deployed in targeted attacks by national governments, with victims in Kazakhstan, Syria and Italy. The spyware, which

NSO hacked new Pegasus victims weeks after Apple sought injunction

Investigators say they have found evidence that a Jordanian journalist and human rights defender’s iPhone was hacked with the Pegasus spyware just weeks after Apple sued the spyware’s make
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