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NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

reuters.com

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Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#21

Post by sillysaurusx »

freeplay wrote: post #17

But I thought WhatsApp was end-to-end encrypted?

E2E provides protection against the server provider knowing your content. It doesn't protect either end, since that would be impossible.

In this case, it seems like WhatsApp itself was compromised; malware was distributed through the server directly to the app, or something along those lines. (Y'know how you can dynamically change apps nowadays using Codepush, etc? If Whatsapp had something like that in their pipeline, and that thing was compromised, and that compromise could be targeted at specific devices, then no amount of encryption can save you.)

Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#22

Post by galazzah »

rshnotsecure wrote: post #15

Dozens of tech companies around the world that were established in the last 4-5 years were done so entirely for the purpose of being fronts for spy agencies to engage in the vast collection of data. This extends also to shipping, licensing, and auditing companies. One example is https://www.pacificbasin.com/en/fleet/fleet.php Somehow they’ve managed to assemble the worlds 2nd largest cargo fleet in terms of dry weigh…

Can you provide any sources? Surprised to see Credit Karma on here...

Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#24

Post by dotancohen »

gpm wrote: post #10
chadlavi wrote: post #6

No one who wants to talk securely should ever use a facebook-owned channel in the first place.

It depends who your adversaries are. It's one thing to say "they shouldn't use a facebook channel to talk securely", it's another to say "they shouldn't use a facebook channel on the same device as they use another channel to talk securely". My understanding of this was that it is the latter. Unfortunately people often don't have the luxury of doing the latter.

  > Unfortunately people often don't have the luxury of doing the latter.
What? Just don't install the Facebook or other social apps. I do have Telegram, but no other social media apps on my phone. If you need to communicate, then SMS / MMS / telephone is fine. What can be done with Facebook that cannot be done with normal SMS or MMS or phone calls or video calls?

Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#25

Post by EquallyJust »

rshnotsecure wrote: post #15

Dozens of tech companies around the world that were established in the last 4-5 years were done so entirely for the purpose of being fronts for spy agencies to engage in the vast collection of data. This extends also to shipping, licensing, and auditing companies. One example is https://www.pacificbasin.com/en/fleet/fleet.php Somehow they’ve managed to assemble the worlds 2nd largest cargo fleet in terms of dry weigh…

Do you have a source on protonmail and creditkarma?

Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#26

Post by godelski »

rshnotsecure wrote: post #15

Dozens of tech companies around the world that were established in the last 4-5 years were done so entirely for the purpose of being fronts for spy agencies to engage in the vast collection of data. This extends also to shipping, licensing, and auditing companies. One example is https://www.pacificbasin.com/en/fleet/fleet.php Somehow they’ve managed to assemble the worlds 2nd largest cargo fleet in terms of dry weigh…

Wait, can you expand on some of these? Like ProtonMail and CreditKarma?

Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#28

Post by ActorNightly »

freeplay wrote: post #17

But I thought WhatsApp was end-to-end encrypted?

Messages probably are, the app itself may have openings that allow an attacker to see messages.

In the early days of android, it was also possible to have a rogue google update service on a wifi AP, so when android connected to it you could push an update with malware.

Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies

#29

Post by godelski »

cloudyo wrote: post #5

Sometimes you just feel like using Signal instead

Not that I'm dissing Signal (it is my preferred platform, sadly not most used), but don't both WA and Signal use Open Whispers systems? So isn't there the potential that the same exploit might work on Signal?
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