spyware

Pierluigi Paganini August 24, 2021
New zero-click exploit used to target Bahraini activists’ iPhones with NSO spyware

Citizen Lab uncovered a new zero-click iMessage exploit that was used to deploy the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on devices belonging to Bahraini activists. Researchers from Citizen Lab spotted a zero-click iMessage exploit that was used to deploy NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on Bahraini activists’ devices. The iPhones of nine activists, including members of the Bahrain Center for Human […]

Pierluigi Paganini July 21, 2021
XLoader, a $49 spyware that could target both Windows and macOS devices

Check Point Research (CPR) experts have spotted a cheap malware, dubbed XLoader variant, which was upgraded to target both Windows and macOS PCs. XLoader is a very cheap malware strain that is based on the popular Formbook Windows malware.  FormBook is a data-stealing malware that is used in cyber espionage campaigns, like other spyware it is […]

Pierluigi Paganini July 15, 2021
Israeli surveillance firm Candiru used Windows zero-days to deploy spyware

Experts said that Israeli surveillance firm Candiru, tracked as Sourgum, exploited zero-days to deliver a new Windows spyware. Microsoft and Citizen Lab believe that the secretive Israel-based Israeli surveillance firm Candiru, tracked as Sourgum, used Windows zero-day exploits to deliver a new Windows spyware dubbed DevilsTongue. According to the experts, at least 100 activists, journalists […]

Pierluigi Paganini May 26, 2021
Agrius group targets Israel with data-wipers disguised as ransomware

An Iran-linked threat actor tracked as Agrius employed data-wipers disguised as ransomware to destroy targeted IT infrastructure. Researchers from cyber-security firm SentinelOne discovered a new Iran-linked threat actor, tracked as Agrius, which relied on data-wiping malware disguised as ransomware to destroy the targeted systems. In order to hide the real nature of the threat, the […]

Pierluigi Paganini March 27, 2021
Experts spotted a new advanced Android spyware posing as “System Update”

Researchers spotted a sophisticated Android spyware that implements exfiltration capabilities and surveillance features, including recording audio and phone calls. Experts from security firm Zimperium have spotted a new sophisticated Android spyware that masquerades itself as a System Update application. The malware is able to collect system data, messages, images and take over the infected Android […]

Pierluigi Paganini February 24, 2021
APT32 state hackers target human rights defenders with spyware

Vietnam-linked APT32 group targeted Vietnamese human rights defenders (HRDs) between February 2018 and November 2020. Vietnam-linked APT32 (aka Ocean Lotus) group has conducted a cyberespionage campaign targeting Vietnamese human rights defenders (HRDs) and a nonprofit (NPO) human rights organization from Vietnam between February 2018 and November 2020. The threat actors used by spyware to take […]

Pierluigi Paganini December 16, 2020
Sextortion campaign uses Goontact spyware to target Android and iOS users

Security experts spotted a new malware strain, named Goontact, that allows its operators to spy on both Android and iOS users. Security researchers from Lookout have discovered new spyware, dubbed Goontcat, that could target both Android and iOS users. Goontact implement common spyware features, including the ability to gather data from the infected devices and […]

Pierluigi Paganini October 14, 2020
German authorities raid the offices of the FinFisher surveillance firm

Earlier this month, German authorities have raided the offices of FinFisher, the German surveillance software firm, accused of providing its software to oppressive regimes. German authorities have raided the offices of FinFisher, the popular German surveillance firm as part of an investigation into the alleged sale of their software to oppressive regimes. The news was first reported […]

Pierluigi Paganini September 28, 2020
Unknown FinSpy Mac and Linux versions found in Egypt

Experts from Amnesty International uncovered a surveillance campaign that targeted Egyptian civil society organizations with a new version of FinSpy spyware. Amnesty International uncovered a new surveillance campaign that targeted Egyptian civil society organizations with previously undisclosed versions of the infamous FinSpy surveillance spyware. The new versions employed in this campaign allow its operators to […]

Pierluigi Paganini August 28, 2020
Elon Musk confirms that Russian hackers tried to recruit Tesla employee to plant a malware

Elon Musk confirmed that Russian hackers attempted to recruit an employee to install malware into the network of electric car maker Tesla. Recently US authorities arrested the Russian national Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov (27) after attempting to recruit an employee at a targeted company to plant a piece of malware. The man was arrested on August […]