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Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

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Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#161

Post by namdnay »

yyyk wrote: post #132
pcbro141 wrote: post #37

America should stop giving aid to Israel as long as Israeli companies are going to assist in getting journalists arrested/murdered/dismembered.

If America wanted NSO to avoid dealing with particular countries, all it would take is a single phonecall to the Israeli government. It can do that, because one country is a superpower and a different country is the client. I suspect the reason that does not happen is because NSO does the US's dirty work for it, otherwise the US would have stopped it already. After all, the US directly supports those same governments…

The error here is in considering “America” as a single entity

“America” may be more powerful than Israel, but no single American politician is more powerful than AIPAC

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#162

Post by mtgx »

namdnay wrote: post #161
yyyk wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If America wanted NSO to avoid dealing with particular countries, all it would take is a single phonecall to the Israeli government. It can do that, because one country is a superpower and a different country is the client. I suspect the reason that does not happen is because NSO does the US's dirty work for it, otherwise the US would have stopped it already. After all, the US directly supports those same governments…

The error here is in considering “America” as a single entity “America” may be more powerful than Israel, but no single American politician is more powerful than AIPAC

Pretty sure Bernie Sanders was more powerful than AIPAC. But the whole party rallied against him. Maybe AIPAC played a small role in that, too, but it was far from the only reason they did that.

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#163

Post by yyyk »

bosswipe wrote: post #155
yyyk wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I say that precisely because I have been paying attention. The opposite impression is useful for both sides, but in reality America calls the shots. Israel would go against America's position only on issues it considers existential or close to such. I doubt NSO even registers.

Netanyahu ran campaign ads about how he undermined and disrespected Obama, even while getting Obama to give him a record $38 billion aid. He colluded with Flynn and the Russians to undermine Obama and promote Trump. He gets whatever he wants from the US. When he wanted to attack BDS he got the first piece of legislation out of the 2019 US Senate, bill S-1. That's more US political power than Chuck Schumer.

"Netanyahu ran campaign ads about how he undermined and disrespected Obama"

More accurately, he ran campaign ads arguing that he fought for Israel against the Iran deal. He further presented himself as a victim of Obama's disrespect, especially since the 'shoe on table' incident.

[EDIT: "while getting Obama to give him a record $38 billion aid"

Longstanding American policy to bolster its client, also a part of the Camp David accords. I do think the aid agreement should not be renewed next time since it's counterproductive to both sides. ]

"He colluded with Flynn and the Russians to undermine Obama and promote Trump."

Wrong. Note however that focusing on this conspiracy shows where the true power lies. When America interferes in Israeli politics it does so openly and without even much mention, because there's no point, it's that powerful (e.g. Clinton helping Peres and Barak, or V-15's funding).

"He gets whatever he wants from the US."

That's why he got the same terms from Obama as he did from Trump, right? After all, it's the same Nethanyahu. Nah. It's American policy that changed.

All your list is part of Nethanyahu's mystique ("I speak perfect English! I can get the Americans to work in our favour! Even when the administration doesn't support me, because I have so many connections and am so convincing it doesn't matter!"), which is very good for him electorally, but most Israelis have woken up from that.

P.S.

"That's more US political power than Chuck Schumer."

That's a trick question, right? Since Schumer has almost no power - no stage presence, minority in Senate. He can't even threaten the filibuster. (What would he filibuster? The Judicial filibuster has been cancelled, and the Republicans barely have a legislative agenda.

After the GOP keeps majority, everything will be decided by Biden-GOP negotiations, and Schumer will have to sign the dotted line.)

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#164

Post by flyinglizard »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #90
jacobwilliamroy wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sponsoring international terrorism used to be a real faux pas in the U.S. I guess those days are over.

I doubt those days are over, we'll continue punishing Iran for supporting Palestine.

Saying “Iran is punished for supporting Palestine” is like saying “ISIS was punished for supporting traditional Islamic values”.

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#165

Post by saagarjha »

lawnchair_larry wrote: post #142
saagarjha wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The guidelines tell you to assume good faith, and I think the commenter you’re replying to gave a fairly reasonable explanation of the intention behind what was written. For the most part, people don’t have a vendetta against Israel in particular: they are just unaware of other cases, or aren’t going to bring them up in an article about the NSO group, which is Israeli.

A quick search of “BDS” and “occupation” will quickly demonstrate otherwise.

I mean, Israel/Palestine obviously a complicated political topic. There’s the BDS, there’s a pro-Israel lobby–my point is that a comment made about trying to punish Israel for allowing the NSO to operate isn’t necessarily trying to push an agenda beyond “I’m angry that exploit brokers exist here”.

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#166

Post by flyinglizard »

namdnay wrote: post #161
yyyk wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If America wanted NSO to avoid dealing with particular countries, all it would take is a single phonecall to the Israeli government. It can do that, because one country is a superpower and a different country is the client. I suspect the reason that does not happen is because NSO does the US's dirty work for it, otherwise the US would have stopped it already. After all, the US directly supports those same governments…

The error here is in considering “America” as a single entity “America” may be more powerful than Israel, but no single American politician is more powerful than AIPAC

NSO is a private company. It was even in foreign ownership up to not long ago (when it was repurchased by its original founders). This is not something AIPAC is concerned with. Clearly US government as well as Israeli government have some interest in letting NSO roll its operations (have any NSO officials been banned by the US? US knew to ban Israeli officials in the past, AIPAC or not).

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#167

Post by yyyk »

namdnay wrote: post #161
yyyk wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If America wanted NSO to avoid dealing with particular countries, all it would take is a single phonecall to the Israeli government. It can do that, because one country is a superpower and a different country is the client. I suspect the reason that does not happen is because NSO does the US's dirty work for it, otherwise the US would have stopped it already. After all, the US directly supports those same governments…

The error here is in considering “America” as a single entity “America” may be more powerful than Israel, but no single American politician is more powerful than AIPAC

AIPAC's secret is the impression it's so powerful, but whenever an American administration wanted to advance a policy AIPAC didn't like (from selling aircraft to the Saudis in the 80s all the way to the Iran Deal), AIPAC melted away. It has no power to defend NSO, and I doubt it even has an interest to.

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#168

Post by ignoramous »

harish5p wrote: post #55
ignoramous wrote: post #18

So, iiuc, this "zero-click" hack involved iMessage and payloads apparently injected via Apple's domains and the exfiltration of data through a tor-like network eventually reaching malicious servers. Is anyone aware of any (FOSS) software (presumably intrusion detectors or indicators of compromise) for mobile phones that might help flag or even prevent such attacks? TinyCheck [0] comes to mind, but it isn't truly mobi…

Are these apps similar to Blockada? https://blokada.org/

Blokada isn't a serious security app. It leaks DNS connections over TCP (only handles UDP) and uses covert techniques to track users (generates a unique ID for every install and sends it tagged with the phone model every time one visits a blokada webpage from within the app).

Yeah, no where close.

Disclaimer: I work on privacy enhancing tech on Android.

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#169

Post by turing_complete »

ipv6ipv4 wrote: post #106
bjourne wrote: post #104

How come when we hear about this stuff it is always Israeli companies involved? Is ethics not taught in Israeli Computer Science curricula? Those who wrote this exploit are clearly "brilliant" and at least some of them are bound to be reading Hacker News. Is other countries' spyware firms just better at hiding their malware than Israel's is?

It’s called selection bias. It’s fun and always acceptable to hate on Israel. It’s also more memorable due to the sensationalization of it. A few years ago bluecoat systems was caught providing deep packet inspection gear to the Syrian government. But that wasn’t Israel so no biggie and you either never heard about it or didn’t pay much attention because it wasn’t Israel. American and European companies do this all t…

You think it is "fun" to hate on Israel?

Re: Journalists Hacked with Suspected NSO Group iMessage ‘Zero-Click’ Exploit

#170

Post by kortilla »

lofties wrote: post #136
Mandatum wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why internal bug bounties should pay cash. Most orgs don't even have one.

We have an interal bug bounty program! But it's more of a retainer when you think about it. We basically transfer a six figure dollar amount, in 12 monthly installments, to our developers. Then in return when they find a bug they bring it to attention and fix it. It works pretty well!!

It would be interesting to have a dedicated bug fixer whose only job was hunting bugs. No meetings, no scrum, no design docs, etc.
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