espionage – Page 3 – SSL and internet security news

Nation-State Espionage Campaigns against Middle East Defense Contractors

June 23, 2020 infossl

attribution, cyberespionage, espionage, impersonation, linkedin, malware, reports, Security technology

Report on espionage attacks using LinkedIn as a vector for malware, with details and screenshots. They talk about “several hints suggesting a possible link” to the Lazarus group (aka North Korea), but that’s by no means definite. As part of the initial compromise phase, the Operation In(ter)ception attackers had created fake LinkedIn accounts posing as … Read More “Nation-State Espionage Campaigns against Middle East Defense Contractors” »

Malware in Google Apps

May 5, 2020 infossl

espionage, google, kaspersky, malware, phishing, Security technology, spyware

Interesting story of malware hidden in Google Apps. This particular campaign is tied to the government of Vietnam. At a remote virtual version of its annual Security Analyst Summit, researchers from the Russian security firm Kaspersky today plan to present research about a hacking campaign they call PhantomLance, in which spies hid malware in the … Read More “Malware in Google Apps” »

Companies that Scrape Your Email

February 12, 2020 infossl

apple, datamining, email, espionage, marketing, Security technology, surveillance

Motherboard has a long article on apps — Edison, Slice, and Cleanfox — that spy on your email by scraping your screen, and then sell that information to others: Some of the companies listed in the J.P. Morgan document sell data sourced from “personal inboxes,” the document adds. A spokesperson for J.P. Morgan Research, the … Read More “Companies that Scrape Your Email” »

Crypto AG Was Owned by the CIA

February 11, 2020 infossl

backdoors, cia, cryptography, espionage, Security technology, switzerland

The Swiss cryptography firm Crypto AG sold equipment to governments and militaries around the world for decades after World War II. They were owned by the CIA: But what none of its customers ever knew was that Crypto AG was secretly owned by the CIA in a highly classified partnership with West German intelligence. These … Read More “Crypto AG Was Owned by the CIA” »

Police Surveillance Tools from Special Services Group

January 10, 2020 infossl

cameras, eavesdropping, espionage, foia, lawenforcement, police, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

Special Services Group, a company that sells surveillance tools to the FBI, DEA, ICE, and other US government agencies, has had its secret sales brochure published. Motherboard received the brochure as part of a FOIA request to the Irvine Police Department in California. “The Tombstone Cam is our newest video concealment offering the ability to … Read More “Police Surveillance Tools from Special Services Group” »

Eavesdropping on SMS Messages inside Telco Networks

November 7, 2019 infossl

eavesdropping, encryption, espionage, malware, Security technology, sms

Fireeye reports on a Chinese-sponsored espionage effort to eavesdrop on text messages: FireEye Mandiant recently discovered a new malware family used by APT41 (a Chinese APT group) that is designed to monitor and save SMS traffic from specific phone numbers, IMSI numbers and keywords for subsequent theft. Named MESSAGETAP, the tool was deployed by APT41 … Read More “Eavesdropping on SMS Messages inside Telco Networks” »

On Chinese “Spy Trains”

September 26, 2019 infossl

china, espionage, essays, infrastructure, nationalsecuritypolicy, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

The trade war with China has reached a new industry: subway cars. Congress is considering legislation that would prevent the world’s largest train maker, the Chinese-owned CRRC Corporation, from competing on new contracts in the United States. Part of the reasoning behind this legislation is economic, and stems from worries about Chinese industries undercutting the … Read More “On Chinese “Spy Trains”” »

Cell Networks Hacked by (Probable) Nation-State Attackers

July 9, 2019 infossl

attribution, cellphones, datacollection, espionage, hacking, metadata, Security technology, vulnerabilities

A sophisticated attacker has successfuly infiltrated cell providers to collect information on specific users: The hackers have systematically broken in to more than 10 cell networks around the world to date over the past seven years to obtain massive amounts of call records — including times and dates of calls, and their cell-based locations — … Read More “Cell Networks Hacked by (Probable) Nation-State Attackers” »

Spanish Soccer League App Spies on Fans

June 27, 2019 infossl

dataprotection, espionage, phones, privacy, Security technology, sports, spyware, surveillance

The Spanish Soccer League’s smartphone app spies on fans in order to find bars that are illegally streaming its games. The app listens with the microphone for the broadcasts, and then uses geolocation to figure out where the phone is. The Spanish data protection agency has ordered the league to stop doing this. Not because … Read More “Spanish Soccer League App Spies on Fans” »

How Technology and Politics Are Changing Spycraft

May 21, 2019 infossl

cellphones, espionage, nationalsecuritypolicy, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

Interesting article about how traditional nation-based spycraft is changing. Basically, the Internet makes it increasingly possible to generate a good cover story; cell phone and other electronic surveillance techniques make tracking people easier; and machine learning will make all of this automatic. Meanwhile, Western countries have new laws and norms that put them at a … Read More “How Technology and Politics Are Changing Spycraft” »