Earlier this month the DOJ asked Facebook to "halt end-to-end encryption" by adding a backdoor to all of Facebook's apps. Perhaps this is a reason. https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/03/doj-facebook-end-to-end-...
Why would facebook comply?
NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
111–120 of 321 posts
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
WhatsApp allegedly uses an implementation of the OpenWhisper encryption system that Signal created (and still uses). However as there is no source code available unlike Signal, there's no way to verify if WhatsApp "really" is using it (or using it correctly).
Couldn't you determine by looking at the code in the APK, at least for Android?
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#113Or Signal, but without the phone number signup
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#114What are Israel doing to get so good at this and chip design and weapons making and everything else they seem to be really good at? There’s only about 8 million people in the whole country. There are plenty of cities with more people than that. How come they punch so far above their weight?
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#115What are Israel doing to get so good at this and chip design and weapons making and everything else they seem to be really good at? There’s only about 8 million people in the whole country. There are plenty of cities with more people than that. How come they punch so far above their weight?
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
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?
WhatsApp allegedly uses an implementation of the OpenWhisper encryption system that Signal created (and still uses). However as there is no source code available unlike Signal, there's no way to verify if WhatsApp "really" is using it (or using it correctly).
In the modern world we basically outsource everything, including trust and verification. An open, social process of verification can be better, though.
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
> 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?
The Facebook app came pre-installed on my Android phone, and I couldn't get rid of it without rooting my phone (which would make it less secure).
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#118Dozens 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…
Alternative explanation: Pacific Basin decided at some point that they needed an internet presence, and in addition to their main site pacificbasin.com they also registered pacbasin.com to prevent typo-squatting. Some time later, they decided that was no longer necessary and let the domain lapse. Subsequently, it was picked up for cheap to host the glossy marketing website of what appears to be a drone company.
Problems with that website: the social media icons are just for show; the contact email is for the likely unrelated startech.com; I can't find any way to buy their product; the company is called "星彩网平台航拍无人机系统", "星彩" evoking associations to lotteries. It's also completely unrelated to the domain name.
My personal interpretation: the website is intended to scam Chinese investors with a gambling mentality into throwing their money at a fake "high-tech company."
Do you have any data that would be able to distinguish between your hypothesis and my alternative?
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#119What are Israel doing to get so good at this and chip design and weapons making and everything else they seem to be really good at? There’s only about 8 million people in the whole country. There are plenty of cities with more people than that. How come they punch so far above their weight?
Re: NSO hacked WhatsApp to spy on top government officials at U.S. allies
#120What are Israel doing to get so good at this and chip design and weapons making and everything else they seem to be really good at? There’s only about 8 million people in the whole country. There are plenty of cities with more people than that. How come they punch so far above their weight?