Russia Says US Hacked Thousands of Apple Phones in Spy Plot

US News - Reuters ^ | Thursday, June 1, 2023 | Guy Faulconbridge

[linMcHlp]

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday it had uncovered an American espionage operation that compromised thousands of iPhones using sophisticated surveillance software.

[linMcHlp]

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) says it had uncovered a US National Security Agency (NSA) plot using previously unknown malware to penetrate specially made backdoor vulnerabilities in Apple phones.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1664197901721952257

[foundedonpurpose]

So in todays world, who doesn’t have a hacked phone?

[linMcHlp]

Operation Triangulation: iOS devices targeted with previously unknown malware
https://securelist.com/operation-triangulation/109842/

[linMcHlp]

Operation Triangulation

https://securelist.com/trng-2023/

While monitoring the network traffic of our own corporate Wi-Fi network using the Kaspersky Unified Monitoring and Analysis Platform (KUMA), we discovered a previously unknown mobile APT campaign targeting iOS devices. The targets are infected using zero-click exploits via the iMessage platform, and the malware runs with root privileges, gaining complete control over the device and user data. We are calling this campaign “Operation Triangulation”.

This is an ongoing investigation, the amount of material we collected is substantial and will take time to analyze. Given the complexity of the attack, we are confident that we are not the only target, and invite everyone to join the research. If you have any additional details to share, please contact us:

triangulation@kaspersky.com

[linMcHlp]

Maybe: GrapheneOS

https://grapheneos.org/

[linMcHlp]

From that article at Kaspersky:

“The oldest traces of infection that we discovered happened in 2019. As of the time of writing in June 2023, the attack is ongoing, and the most recent version of the devices successfully targeted is iOS 15.7.”

[PGR88]

Who is surprised by this?

[eclecticEel]

The US spied on iPhone users almost as much as Apple does?

[MeganC]

These days if the phones aren’t compromised in the factory then stupid people download stupid apps and give away their data for free. Why hack anything at all?

[McGruff]

Just like the old days.

[dfwgator]

[Chode]

and Tim Fag is quiet...

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Only “thousands of phones”? We are truly amateurs in this game.

[Vaduz]

Every electronic transmission is taped tracked when desired per echelon has been for years.

Key words means tag you it

[Swordmaker]

Kaspersky Labs reported a vulnerability in iOS that allowed an exploit that Russia is reporting as an attack on Russian iPhones. Kaspersky is reporting an already patched vulnerability that affects unpatched Apple devices that use iOS 15.7 or older. As of June 1, 2023, 81% of iPhone users have upgraded to iOS 16 or higher. In addition, Patches for security for lower versions of iOS 15 were pushed out by Apple in the proceeding months. So it is unlikely this iMessage vulnerability is a huge issue for users.

Apple iOS 15.7 and older bug
update iOS now!
APPLE PING!

If you want on or off the Apple/Mac/iOS Ping List, Freepmail me.

[linMcHlp]

Thanks. I noticed that the vulnerability existed as far back as 2019.

[Swordmaker]

Thanks. I noticed that the vulnerability existed as far back as 2019.

Apple has long stated that it does not do what Kaspersky claims it does. The iMessage app is sandboxed from all other apps and does not have access to what they claim. There “proofs” are on unlocked, jailbroken iPhones which fully protected iPhones are not the same as what Kaspersky is looking at. They have to jailbreak the devices and run the MIRRORED operating system on an external computer to find what they are claiming. Their own website, which outlines their methodology states this. They cannot get the exploit to work on the device itself.

[linMcHlp]

Thanks

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Thanks for the useful pings!