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Comments Dotted : 7
December 02, 2020

Experts Reaction On Ipsos Mori Internet Survey Could Be A Privacy Risk For UK Consumers
This app could expose both the user and possibly their employer to significant legal risk.
The Ipsos Iris Blue app permits the operator to access all network communications of the device it is running on including content protected SSL/TLS encryption (with the exception of traffic used by apps using correctly implemented certificate pinning). In addition, the app can access all content displayed on the device screen. A user might decide for themselves that they are willing to grant a third party this level of insight though it is doubtful that many would if they fully understood all.....Read More
The Ipsos Iris Blue app permits the operator to access all network communications of the device it is running on including content protected SSL/TLS encryption (with the exception of traffic used by apps using correctly implemented certificate pinning). In addition, the app can access all content displayed on the device screen. A user might decide for themselves that they are willing to grant a third party this level of insight though it is doubtful that many would if they fully understood all the privacy implications. However, if a personal device running this app were used for work it could easily expose confidential documents and data to the operator, who has no commitment to the employer of the device's user. As a result, this app could expose both the user and possibly their employer to significant legal risk.  Read Less
November 18, 2020

Experts On US Military Found Buying Personal Data From Muslim Pro App
The sale of individual, personalized data collected as a side effect by mobile apps is highly problematic from a privacy perspective.
The sale of individual, personalized data collected as a side effect by mobile apps is highly problematic from a privacy perspective. While location data is necessary to determine local prayer times and directions, transmitting and storing that data in a cloud service - let alone the sale to third parties - is not necessary to provide the service and something users of the app will not reasonably expect.
October 21, 2020

Hackers Took Over Telegram Accounts In Israel Through SS7 Attacks To Defeat 2FA
Routing calls to third-party carriers is an important feature to enable roaming of mobile devices.
SMS's susceptibility to attacks is well understood and it should therefore not be considered a secure method for two-factor authentication. This is especially the case when dealing with sophisticated or well-funded attackers that may infiltrate or control carrier networks. Routing calls to third-party carriers is an important feature to enable roaming of mobile devices. However, since no secure verification takes place between the device and its home carrier to verify that it has signed on to .....Read More
SMS's susceptibility to attacks is well understood and it should therefore not be considered a secure method for two-factor authentication. This is especially the case when dealing with sophisticated or well-funded attackers that may infiltrate or control carrier networks. Routing calls to third-party carriers is an important feature to enable roaming of mobile devices. However, since no secure verification takes place between the device and its home carrier to verify that it has signed on to a roaming partner's network, roaming partners (or an attacker with access to their network) can re-route calls and text messages, broadening the attack surface for text messages far beyond the home carrier. This incident is an example of how this weakness can be abused for targeted attacks by a sophisticated actor.  Read Less
July 29, 2020

Experts On Catalonian politicians had Phones Hacked in WhatsApp Attack
The use of sophisticated mobile surveillanceware for domestic spying purposes appears more widespread than previously known.
The use of sophisticated mobile surveillanceware for domestic spying purposes appears more widespread than previously known, including in western democracies. In light of widespread election meddling and spying on political parties and movements all over the world it is clear that protecting information and communication infrastructure including mobile devices is quickly becoming critical to any organisation with a need for confidentiality.
July 09, 2020

Experts Reaction On Fake TikTok links Injected With Malware
The removal of the TikTok app from both Google Play and the Apple App Store in India has created a similar situation.
When legitimate, popular channels to acquire a popular app are blocked for whatever reason, it presents an opportunity for malicious actors to lure victims by promising a way around the restriction. We have seen similar attempts to entice users to install malware in connection with the distribution of Fortnite for Android outside of Google Play as well as the geographically staggered release of PokemonGo. The removal of the TikTok app from both Google Play and the Apple App Store in India has.....Read More
When legitimate, popular channels to acquire a popular app are blocked for whatever reason, it presents an opportunity for malicious actors to lure victims by promising a way around the restriction. We have seen similar attempts to entice users to install malware in connection with the distribution of Fortnite for Android outside of Google Play as well as the geographically staggered release of PokemonGo. The removal of the TikTok app from both Google Play and the Apple App Store in India has created a similar situation. Users should limit their risk by only installing apps from the official app stores and using mobile security as an added layer of protection.  Read Less
May 28, 2020

Security Vulnerabilities In Android Devices Differ Drastically By Region – Security Intelligence Expert Reaction
Users should ensure they always apply the most recent updates to their devices.
Android devices usually arrive preloaded with a number of apps (and sometimes other customisations) added by the manufacturer and, often, the carrier too. Like all apps, these can suffer from vulnerabilities and thereby expose the user to security and privacy risks. What makes these apps special is that the user may not be able to remove them, and, in some cases, they have additional privileges not available to user-installed apps. While geographic customisation may be necessary in some.....Read More
Android devices usually arrive preloaded with a number of apps (and sometimes other customisations) added by the manufacturer and, often, the carrier too. Like all apps, these can suffer from vulnerabilities and thereby expose the user to security and privacy risks. What makes these apps special is that the user may not be able to remove them, and, in some cases, they have additional privileges not available to user-installed apps. While geographic customisation may be necessary in some cases, such as providing access to an app store in regions where Google Play is not available, manufacturers have a responsibility to protect their users by employing sound security practices in developing apps, providing timely updates when vulnerabilities are found, and carefully vetting (and, where possible, minimising) third-party apps shipped with their devices. Users should ensure they always apply the most recent updates to their devices to ensure they’re protected from known, patched vulnerabilities.  Read Less
April 23, 2020

Experts Comments On iPhone’s Could Be Vulnerable To Email Software Hack
Surveillance tooling using such exploits is available for sale and, in some cases, as a service by third parties.
As we have seen in the past, sophisticated attacks on high value - or high profile - targets aim to leverage exploit chains starting with a one-click or zero-click attack to increase their chances of success. Surveillance tooling using such exploits is available for sale and, in some cases, as a service by third parties. The rising prevalence of such attacks indicates that attackers are becoming increasingly aware that mobile devices are the most valuable targets for surveillance and spying......Read More
As we have seen in the past, sophisticated attacks on high value - or high profile - targets aim to leverage exploit chains starting with a one-click or zero-click attack to increase their chances of success. Surveillance tooling using such exploits is available for sale and, in some cases, as a service by third parties. The rising prevalence of such attacks indicates that attackers are becoming increasingly aware that mobile devices are the most valuable targets for surveillance and spying. Not only do these devices offer access to user documents, communications, and cloud accounts, they can also act as a live surveillance tool by virtue of their sensors, such as the microphone, camera, and GPS device. This incident demonstrates how even the most well-maintained, fully upgraded mobile operating systems can be susceptible to attacks and compromise. Third-party security solutions can detect and defend against the impact of device compromise, malicious apps, and phishing attacks against mobile devices.  Read Less