Category Archives: Digital Security

Digital security is the process of protecting your online identity, data, and other assets from intruders, such as hackers, scammers, and fraudsters. It is essential for trust in the digital age, as well as for innovation, competitiveness, and growth. This field covers the economic and social aspects of cybersecurity, as opposed to purely technical aspects and those related to criminal law enforcement or national and international security.

In this category, you will find articles related to digital security that have a direct or indirect connection with the activities of Freemindtronic Andorra or that may interest the readers of the article published in this category. You will learn about the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in this field, as well as the best practices and recommendations from experts and organizations such as the OECD. You will also discover how to protect your personal data from being used and sold by companies without your consent.

Whether you are an individual, a business owner, or a policy maker, you will benefit from reading these articles and gaining more knowledge and awareness about this topic and its importance for your online safety and prosperity. Some of the topics that you will find in this category are:

  • How to prevent and respond to cyberattacks
  • How to use encryption and cryptography to secure your data
  • How to manage risks and vulnerabilities
  • How to comply with laws and regulations
  • How to foster a culture of security in your organization
  • How to educate yourself and others about this topic

We hope that you will enjoy reading these articles and that they will inspire you to take action to improve your security. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us.

Digital Security, Spying, Technical News

Are fingerprint systems really secure? How to protect your data and identity against BrutePrint

Posted on by FMTAD
Fingerprint Systems Really Secure - How to Protect Your Data and Identity
23
Oct
Fingerprint Systems Really Secure by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.

Fingerprint Security

You will surely be amazed by our discoveries! These systems verify your identity on smartphones and other devices by using the unique patterns of your finger. But is their security level? In this study, we explore the weaknesses of these systems and how various actors, from cybercriminals to sovereign entities, can exploit them. We looked at 25 techniques for corrupting fingerprint authentication systems. We will also introduce an effective dual-use defense solution: DataShielder HSM solutions to protect your secrets and sensitive data even if this biometric authentication system becomes compromised.

Fingerprint Biometrics: An In-Depth Exploration of Security Mechanisms and Vulnerabilities

It is a widely recognized biometric authentication system for identity verification. In this overview of fingerprint authentication systems, we will explore comprehensively to understand the complex world of fingerprint biometrics. Our goal is to provide a detailed exploration of these systems, their inner workings, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures.

Demystifying Fingerprint Systems: A Thorough Examination

Two fundamental components make up these systems: the fingerprint sensor and the comparison algorithm.:

The Fingerprint Sensor: Where Biometric Data Begins

These systems rely on an essential component: the fingerprint sensor. It captures the finger image and converts it into a digital format. Different types of sensors exist, each with their advantages and disadvantages:

  1. Optical sensors: They use light and a camera to create a high-resolution image.
  2. Capacitive sensors: They use an array of small capacitors to measure the differences in electrical charge between the ridges and valleys.
  3. Ultrasonic sensors: They use sound waves to create a three-dimensional image.
  4. Thermal sensors: They detect the heat emitted by the finger to generate an image.

The Comparison Algorithm: The Gatekeeper of Access

The comparison algorithm is a critical software component that analyzes the captured fingerprint image. Its role is vital:

  • Image Analysis: The algorithm scrutinizes the fingerprint image, extracting its unique features.
  • Template Comparison: It then compares these features to one or more stored templates, serving as reference fingerprints for authorized users.
  • Threshold Criteria: Access is granted if the algorithm determines a significant similarity between the captured image and a stored template, surpassing a predefined threshold. If not, the system considers the fingerprint invalid and denies access.

Fingerprint System Vulnerabilities and Attack Techniques

First, before evaluating attack techniques against fingerprinting systems, let’s explore different attack types, techniques, motivations, and strategies. In our thorough analysis of fingerprint system vulnerabilities, we must acknowledge numerous attack techniques employed by various actors. These techniques, driven by diverse motivations ranging from personal gain to malicious intent, illuminate the complexities of fingerprint system security. We’ve identified a total of twenty-five (25) distinct attack types, categorized into five groups in this study: “Electronic Devices for Biometric Attacks,” “Additional Fingerprint Attacks,” “Advanced Attacks,” “Attacks on Lock Patterns,” and “Attacks on Fingerprint Sensors.”

Attacks on Fingerprint Sensors

Fingerprint sensors, a common biometric authentication method, are vulnerable to several attack types and techniques update 23 february 2024:

ATTACK TYPE TECHNIQUE MOTIVATIONS STRATEGIES
Residual Fingerprint Attack Recovers the smartphone owner’s fingerprint left on surfaces, reproducing it. Identity theft, unauthorized access, or malicious purposes. Exploits traces of fingerprints on surfaces using materials like gelatin, silicone.
Code Injection Attack Injects malicious code to bypass fingerprint sensor security. Compromises device security for data theft or illicit activities. Exploits software vulnerabilities for unauthorized access to biometric data.
False Acceptance Attack The system accepts a fingerprint that doesn’t belong to the authorized user. Identity theft, unauthorized access, or malicious intentions. Can occur due to poor sensor quality, a high tolerance threshold, or similarity between different individuals’ fingerprints.
False Rejection Attack The system rejects a fingerprint that belongs to the authorized user. Identity theft, unauthorized access. Can occur due to poor sensor quality, a low tolerance threshold, environmental changes, or alterations to the user’s fingerprint.
Substitution Attack Tricks the system with an artificial fingerprint. Identity theft or unauthorized access. Can be done using materials like gelatin, silicone, latex, or wax.
Modification Attack Tricks the system with a modified fingerprint. Identity theft or to conceal the user’s identity. Can be done using techniques like gluing, cutting, scraping, or burning.
Impersonation Attack Tricks the system with another user’s fingerprint, either with their consent or by force. Identity theft using force, threats, bribery, or seduction. Uses the fingerprint of another user who has given consent or has been coerced into doing so.
Adversarial Generation Attack Tricks the system with images of fingerprints generated by an adversarial generative adversarial network (GAN). Bypasses liveness detection methods based on deep learning. Mimics the appearance of real fingerprints.
Acoustic Analysis Attack Tricks the system by listening to the sounds emitted by the fingerprint sensor during fingerprint capture. Can reconstruct the fingerprint image from acoustic signals. Use noise cancellation techniques, encrypt acoustic signals, or use liveness detection methods
Partial Print Attack Tricks the system with a partial fingerprint from the registered fingerprint. Increases the false acceptance rate by exploiting the similarity between partial prints of different users. Can use a portion of the registered fingerprint.
Privilege Escalation Attack Exploits vulnerabilities in the operating system or application to obtain higher privileges than those granted by fingerprint authentication Can access sensitive data, manipulate system files, perform unauthorized actions, or bypass security measures Use strong passwords, enforce multi-factor authentication, limit user privileges, patch system vulnerabilities, monitor user activities, and audit logs
Spoofing Attack Imitates a legitimate fingerprint or identity to deceive the system or the user Can gain access, steal information, spread malware, or impersonate someone. Use liveness detection methods, verify the authenticity, avoid trusting unknown sources, and report spoofing attempts
PrintListener: Side-channel Attack Utilizes acoustic signals from finger friction on touchscreens to replicate fingerprints Gain unauthorized access to devices and services protected by fingerprint authentication Implement noise interference, use advanced fingerprint sensors resistant to acoustic analysis, enable multifactor authentication, regularly update security protocols

For more information on new attack type “PrintListener” (a specific acoustic analysis attack), readers are encouraged to explore the detailed article at https://freemindtronic.com/printlistener-technology-fingerprints/.
These attacks expose vulnerabilities in fingerprint sensor technology and underline the need for robust security measures.

Attacks on Lock Patterns (For Lock Screen Authentication)

Lock patterns, often used on mobile devices for screen unlocking, are susceptible to various attack techniques:

ATTACK TYPE TECHNIQUE MOTIVATIONS STRATEGIES
Brute Force Attack Attempts all possible lock pattern combinations. Gains unauthorized device access. Systematically tests different pattern combinations.
Replica Fingerprint Attack Uses a 3D printer to create a replica fingerprint. Unauthorized access or identity theft. Produces a replica for sensor authentication.
Sensor Vulnerabilities Exploits sensor technology vulnerabilities. Compromises device security for malicious purposes. Identifies and exploits sensor technology weaknesses.
BrutePrint Attack Intercepts messages, emulating the fingerprint sensor. Gains unauthorized access, often with hardware components. Exploits communication protocol vulnerabilities.

These attacks target the vulnerabilities in lock pattern authentication and underscore the importance of strong security practices.

Advanced Attacks

Advanced attacks employ sophisticated techniques and technologies to compromise fingerprint systems:

ATTACK TYPE TECHNIQUE MOTIVATIONS STRATEGIES
Presentation Attack Presents manipulated images or counterfeit fingerprints. Espionage, identity theft, or malicious purposes. Crafts counterfeit fingerprints or images to deceive sensors.
Rapid Identification Attack Uses advanced algorithms to swiftly identify fingerprints. Corporate espionage, financial gain, or enhanced security. Quickly identifies fingerprints from extensive datasets.
Digital Footprint Attack Collects and analyzes the online data and activity of the target, using open source intelligence tools or data brokers Can obtain personal information, preferences, habits, or vulnerabilities of the target. Use privacy settings, delete unwanted data, avoid oversharing, and monitor online reputation

These advanced attacks leverage technology and data to compromise fingerprint-based security.

Network-Based Attacks

Network-based attacks are those that target the communication or data transmission between the device and the fingerprint authentication system. These attacks can compromise the integrity, confidentiality, or availability of the biometric data or the user session. In this section, we will discuss four types of network-based attacks: phishing, session hijacking, privilege escalation, and spyware.

ATTACK TYPE TECHNIQUE MOTIVATIONS STRATEGIES
Phishing Attack Technique: Phishing attacks involve sending fraudulent messages to victims, enticing them to click on a link or download an attachment. These malicious payloads may contain code designed to steal their fingerprints or redirect them to a fake website requesting authentication. Motivations: Phishing attacks are motivated by the desire to deceive and manipulate users into revealing their fingerprint data or login credentials. Strategies: Phishing attackers employ various tactics, such as crafting convincing emails, spoofing legitimate websites, and using social engineering to trick users.
Session Hijacking Attack Technique: Session hijacking attacks aim to intercept or impersonate an authenticated user’s session, exploiting communication protocol vulnerabilities or using spyware. Motivations: Session hijacking is typically carried out to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or systems, often for financial gain or espionage. Strategies: Attackers employ packet sniffing, session token theft, or malware like spyware to compromise and take control of active user sessions.
Spyware Attack Technique: Spyware attacks infect the device with spyware to capture fingerprint data. Motivations: Spyware attacks are driven by the objective of illicitly obtaining biometric data for malicious purposes, such as identity theft or unauthorized access. Strategies: Attackers use spyware to secretly record and transmit fingerprint information, often through backdoors or covert channels, without the victim’s knowledge.
Predator Files Infects Android phones with a spyware application that can access their data, including fingerprint information. Sold to multiple governments for targeting political opponents, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders in over 50 countries. Use spyware detection and removal tools, update system software, avoid downloading untrusted applications, and scan devices regularly

As we can see from the table above, network-based attacks pose a serious threat to fingerprint authentication systems and users’ privacy and security. Therefore, it is essential to implement effective countermeasures and best practices to prevent or mitigate these attacks. In the next section, we will explore another category of attacks: physical attacks.

Electronic Devices for Biometric Attacks

Some electronic devices are designed to target and compromise fingerprint authentication systems. Here are some notable examples:

Device Description Usage STRATEGIES
Cellebrite UFED A portable device capable of extracting, decrypting, and analyzing data from mobile phones, including fingerprint data. Used by law enforcement agencies worldwide. Used by law enforcement agencies to access digital evidence on mobile phones. Applies substances to damage or obscure sensor surfaces.
GrayKey A black box device designed to unlock iPhones protected by passcodes or fingerprints using a “brute force” technique. Sold to law enforcement and government agencies for investigative purposes. Sold to law enforcement and government agencies for investigative purposes to unlock iPhones. Use strong passwords, enable encryption, disable USB access, and update system software.
Chemical Attacks Alters or erases fingerprints on sensors. Prevents identification or creates false identities. Use fingerprint enhancement techniques, verify the authenticity, and use liveness detection methods

These devices pose a high risk to biometric systems because they can allow malicious actors to access sensitive information or bypass security measures. They are moderate to high in ease of execution because they require physical access to the target devices and the use of costly or scarce devices. Their historical success is variable because it depends on the quality of the devices and the security of the biometric systems. They are currently relevant because they are used by various actors, such as government agencies, law enforcement, or hackers, to access biometric data stored on mobile phones or other devices. This comprehensive overview of attack types, techniques, motivations, and strategies is crucial for improving biometric authentication system security.

BrutePrint: A Novel Attack on Fingerprint Systems on Phones

Fingerprint systems on phones are not only vulnerable to spoofing or data breach attacks; they are also exposed to a novel attack called BrutePrint. This attack exploits two zero-day vulnerabilities in the smartphone fingerprint authentication (SFA) framework. BrutePrint allows attackers to bypass the attempt limit and liveness detection mechanisms of fingerprint systems on phones. It also enables them to perform unlimited brute force attacks until finding a matching fingerprint.

How BrutePrint Works

Fingerprint Systems Really Secure : BrutePrint

BrutePrint works by hijacking the fingerprint images captured by the sensor. It applies neural style transfer (NST) to generate valid brute-forcing inputs from arbitrary fingerprint images. BrutePrint also exploits two vulnerabilities in the SFA framework:

  • Cancel-After-Match-Fail (CAMF): this vulnerability allows attackers to cancel the authentication process after a failed attempt. It prevents the system from counting the failed attempts and locking the device.
  • Match-After-Lock (MAL): this vulnerability allows attackers to infer the authentication results even when the device is in “lock mode”. It guides the brute force attack.To perform a BrutePrint attack, attackers need physical access to the phone, a database of fingerprints, and a custom-made circuit board that costs about 15 dollars. The circuit board acts as a middleman between the sensor and the application. It intercepts and manipulates the fingerprint images.

How to Prevent BrutePrint

BrutePrint is a serious threat to phone users who rely on fingerprint systems to protect their devices and data. It shows that fingerprint systems on phones are not as secure as they seem. They need more robust protection mechanisms against brute force attacks. Some of the possible ways to prevent BrutePrint are:

  • Updating the phone’s software: this can help fix the vulnerabilities exploited by BrutePrint and improve the security of the SFA framework.
  • Using multifactor authentication: this can increase the level of security and reduce the risks of spoofing or brute force attacks. It combines fingerprint authentication with another factor, such as a password, a PIN code, a pattern lock screen ,or other trust criteria that allows patented segmented key authentication technology developed by Freemindtronic in Andorra .
  • Use of DataShielder HSM solutions: these are solutions developed by Freemindtronic in Andorra that allow you to create HSM (Hardware Security Module) on any device, without a server or database, to encrypt any type of data. DataShielder HSM solutions also include EviSign technology, which enables advanced electronic signing of documents. DataShielder HSM solutions are notably available in Defense versions, which offer a high level of protection for civil and/or military applications.

Assessing Attack Techniques: Ease of Execution and Current Relevance

In our pursuit of understanding fingerprint system vulnerabilities, it is crucial to assess not only the types and forms of attacks but also their practicality and current relevance. This section provides an in-depth evaluation of each attack technique, considering factors such as the ease of execution, historical success rates, and their present-day applicability.

Attack Techniques Overview

Let’s analyze the spectrum of attack techniques, considering their potential danger, execution simplicity, historical performance, and present-day relevance.

Attack Type Level of Danger Ease of Execution Historical Success Current Relevance
Residual Fingerprint Attack Medium Moderate Variable Ongoing
Code Injection Attack High Moderate Variable Still Relevant
Acoustic Analysis Attack Medium Low Fluctuating Ongoing Concerns
Brute Force Attack High Low Variable Contemporary
Replica Fingerprint Attack Medium Moderate Fluctuating Still Relevant
Sensor Vulnerabilities High Moderate Variable Ongoing Significance
BrutePrint Attack High High Variable Continues to Pose Concerns
Presentation Attack High Moderate Diverse Still Pertinent
Rapid Identification Attack High Low Variable Ongoing Relevance
Digital Footprint Attack High Low Fluctuating Currently Pertinent
Chemical Attacks High Low Variable Ongoing Relevance
Phishing Attack High Moderate Variable Modern Threat
Session Hijacking Attack High Low Variable Ongoing Relevance
Privilege Escalation Attack High Low Variable Remains Significant
Adversarial Generation Attack High Moderate Variable Still in Use
Acoustic Analysis Attack (Revisited) Medium Low Fluctuating Ongoing Concerns
Partial Print Attack Medium Low Variable Currently Relevant
Electronic Devices for Biometric Attacks High Moderate to High Variable Currently Relevant
PrintListener (Specific Acoustic Analysis Attack) High Moderate Emerging Highly Relevant

Understanding the Evaluation:

  • Level of Danger categorizes potential harm as Low, Moderate, or High.
  • Ease of Execution is categorized as Low, Medium, or High.
  • Historical Success highlights fluctuating effectiveness.
  • Current Relevance signifies ongoing concerns in contemporary security landscapes.

By assessing these attack techniques meticulously, we can gauge their practicality, historical significance, and continued relevance.

The type of attack by electronic devices for biometric systems is very dangerous because it can allow malicious actors to access sensitive information or bypass the protections of biometric systems. Its ease of execution is moderate to high, as it requires physical access to target devices and the use of expensive or difficult-to-obtain devices. Its historical success is variable because it depends on the quality of the devices used and the security measures implemented by the biometric systems. It is currently relevant because it is used by government agencies, law enforcement or hackers to access biometric data stored on mobile phones or other devices.

Statistical Insights into Fingerprint Systems

Fingerprint systems have found wide-ranging applications, from law enforcement and border control to banking, healthcare, and education. They are equally popular among consumers who use them to unlock devices or access online services. However, questions linger regarding their reliability and security. Let’s delve into some pertinent statistics:

According to Acuity Market Intelligence, 2018 saw more than 1.5 billion smartphones equipped with fingerprint sensors, constituting 60% of the global market.

The IAFIS Annual Report of 2020 revealed that more than 1.3 billion fingerprint records were stored in national and international databases in 2019.

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the average false acceptance rate of fingerprint systems in 2018 was 0.08%, marking an 86% decrease compared to 2013.

These statistics shed light on the widespread adoption of fingerprint systems and their improved accuracy over time. Nevertheless, they also underline that these systems, while valuable, are not without their imperfections and can still be susceptible to errors or manipulation.

Real-World Cases of Fingerprint System Corruption: Phone Cases

Fingerprint system corruption can also affect phone users, who rely on fingerprint sensors to unlock their devices or access online services. However, these sensors are not foolproof and can be bypassed or exploited by skilled adversaries. These attacks can result in device theft, data breaches, or other security issues.

Here are some examples of fingerprint system corruption that involve phones:

  • German hacker Jan Krissler, alias Starbug, remarkably unlocked the smartphone of the German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen in 2014 using a high-resolution photo of her thumb taken during a press conference. He employed image processing software to enhance the photo’s quality and created a counterfeit fingerprint printed on paper.
  • A terrorist attack at the Istanbul airport killed 45 people and injured more than 200 in 2016. The investigators found that the three suicide bombers used fake fingerprints to enter Turkey and avoid security checks. They copied the fingerprints of other people from stolen or forged documents.
  • Researchers from Tencent Labs and Zhejiang University discovered in 2020 that they could bypass a fingerprint lock on Android smartphones using a brute force attack, that is when a large number of attempts are made to discover a password, code or any other form of security protection.
  • Experts from Cisco Talos created fake fingerprints capable of fooling the sensors of smartphones, tablets and laptops as well as smart locks in 2020, but it took them a lot of effort.
  • A case of identity theft was discovered in France in 2021, involving the use of fake fingerprints to obtain identity cards and driving licenses. The suspects used silicone molds to reproduce the fingerprints of real people, and then glued them on their fingers to fool the biometric sensors.
  • Researchers from the University of Buffalo developed a method in 2021 to create artificial fingerprints from images of fingers. These fingerprints can fool the sensors of smartphones, but also more advanced biometric systems, such as those used by police or airports.
  • A report by Kaspersky revealed in 2021 that banking apps on smartphones are vulnerable to attacks by falsified fingerprints. Attackers can use malware to intercept biometric data from users and use them to access their accounts.

These cases highlight the significant threats posed by fingerprint system corruption to phone users. Therefore, it is important to protect these systems against external and internal threats while integrating advanced technologies to enhance security and reliability.

DataShielder HSM: A Counter-Espionage Solution for Fingerprint System Security

You have learned in the previous sections that fingerprint systems are not foolproof. They can be corrupted by attacks that expose your secrets and sensitive data. To prevent malicious actors from capturing them, you need an effective and reliable encryption solution, even if your phone is compromised.

Freemindtronic, the leader in NFC HSM technologies, designed, developed, published and manufactured DataShielder HSM in Andorra. It is a range of solutions that you need. You can use either EviCore NFC HSM or EviCore HSM OpenPGP technology with DataShielder HSM. It lets you encrypt your data with segmented keys that you generate randomly yourself. The key segments are securely encrypted and stored in different locations. To access your secrets and your sensitive data encrypted in AES 256 quantum, you need to bring all segments together for authentication.

DataShielder HSM has two versions: DataShielder NFC HSM for civil and military use, and DataShielder NFC HSM Defense for sovereign use. DataShielder NFC HSM Defense integrates two technologies: EviCore NFC HSM and EviCore HSM OpenPGP. They allow you to create a hardware security module (HSM) without contact on any medium, without server, without database, totally anonymous, untraceable and undetectable.

DataShielder HSM is a user-friendly and compatible solution with all types of phone, with or without NFC, Android or Apple. It can be used for various purposes, such as securing messaging services, encrypting files or emails, signing documents or transactions, or generating robust passwords.

DataShielder HSM is a counter-espionage solution that enhances the security of fingerprint systems. It protects your data and secrets from unauthorized access, even if your fingerprint is compromised.

Current Trends and Developments in Fingerprint Biometrics

Fingerprint biometrics is a constantly evolving field. It seeks to improve the performance, reliability and security of existing systems. But it also develops new technologies and applications. Here are some current or expected trends and developments in this field.

  • Multimodality: it consists of combining several biometric modalities (fingerprint, face, iris, voice, etc.) to increase the level of security and reduce the risks of error or fraud. For example, some smartphones already offer authentication by fingerprint and facial recognition.
  • Contactless biometrics: it consists of capturing fingerprints without the need to touch a sensor. This technique avoids the problems related to the quality or contamination of fingerprints. And it improves the comfort and hygiene of users. For example, some airports already use contactless scanners to verify the identity of travelers.
  • Behavioral biometrics: it consists of analyzing the behavior of users when they interact with a biometric system. For instance, the way they place their finger on the sensor or the pressure they exert. This technique adds a dynamic factor to identification. And it detects attempts of impersonation or coercion. For example, some banking systems already use behavioral biometrics to reinforce the security of transactions.

Standards and Regulations for Fingerprint Systems

The use of fingerprint systems is subject to standards and regulations. They aim to ensure the quality, compatibility and security of biometric data. These standards and regulations can be established by international, national or sectoral organizations. Here are some examples of standards and regulations applicable to fingerprint systems.

  • The ISO/IEC 19794-2 standard: it defines the format of fingerprint data. It allows to store, exchange and compare fingerprints between different biometric systems. It specifies the technical characteristics, parameters and procedures to be respected to ensure the interoperability of systems.
  • The (EU) 2019/1157 regulation: it concerns the strengthening of the security of identity cards and residence permits issued to citizens of the European Union and their relatives. It provides for the mandatory introduction of two fingerprints in a digital medium integrated into the card. It aims to prevent document fraud and identity theft.
  • The Data Protection Act: it regulates the collection, processing and storage of personal data, including biometric data. It imposes on data controllers to respect the principles of lawfulness, fairness, proportionality, security and limited duration of data. It guarantees to data subjects a right of access, rectification and opposition to their data.

Examples of Good Practices for Fingerprint System Security

Fingerprint systems offer a convenient and effective way to authenticate people. But they are not without risks. It is important to adopt good practices to strengthen the security of fingerprint systems and protect the rights and freedoms of users. Here are some examples of good practices to follow by end users, businesses and governments.

  • For end users: it is recommended not to disclose their fingerprints to third parties, not to use the same finger for different biometric systems, and to check regularly the state of their fingerprints (cuts, burns, etc.) that may affect recognition. It is also advisable to combine fingerprint authentication with another factor, such as a password or a PIN or other trust criteria that allows the patented segmented key authentication technology developed by Freemindtronic in Andorra.
  • For businesses: it is necessary to comply with the applicable regulation on the protection of personal data, and to inform employees or customers about the use and purposes of fingerprint systems. It is also essential to secure biometric data against theft, loss or corruption, by using encryption, pseudonymization or anonymization techniques.
  • For governments: it is essential to define a clear and consistent legal framework on the use of fingerprint systems, taking into account ethical principles, fundamental rights and national security needs. It is also important to promote international cooperation and information exchange between competent authorities, in compliance with existing standards and conventions.

Responses to Attacks

Fingerprint systems can be victims of attacks aimed at bypassing or compromising their operation. These attacks can have serious consequences on the security of people, property or information. It is essential to know how to react in case of successful attack against a fingerprint system. Here are some recommendations to follow in case of incident.

  • Detecting the attack: it consists of identifying the type, origin and extent of the attack, using monitoring, auditing or forensic analysis tools. It is also necessary to assess the potential or actual impact of the attack on the security of the system and users.
  • Containing the attack: it consists of isolating the affected system or the source of the attack, by cutting off network access, disabling the biometric sensor or blocking the user account. It is also necessary to preserve any evidence that may facilitate investigation.
  • Notifying the attack: it consists of informing competent authorities, partners or users concerned by the attack, in compliance with legal and contractual obligations. It is also necessary to communicate on the nature, causes and consequences of the attack, as well as on the measures taken to remedy it.
  • Repairing the attack: it consists of restoring the normal functioning of the fingerprint system, by eliminating the traces of the attack, resetting the settings or replacing the damaged components. It is also necessary to revoke or renew the compromised biometric data, and verify the integrity and security of the system.
  • Preventing the attack: it consists of strengthening the security of the fingerprint system, by applying updates, correcting vulnerabilities or adding layers of protection. It is also necessary to train and raise awareness among users about good practices and risks related to fingerprint systems.

Next Steps for Fingerprint Biometrics Industry

Fingerprint biometrics is a booming field, which offers many opportunities and challenges for industry, society and security. Here are some avenues for reflection on the next steps for this field.

  • Research and development: it consists of continuing efforts to improve the performance, reliability and security of fingerprint systems, but also to explore new applications and technologies. For example, some researchers are working on artificial fingerprints generated by artificial intelligence, which could be used to protect or test biometric systems.
  • Future investments: it consists of supporting the development and deployment of fingerprint systems, by mobilizing financial, human and material resources. For example, according to a market study, the global market for fingerprint systems is expected to reach 8.5 billion dollars in 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 15.66%.
  • Expected innovations: it consists of anticipating the needs and expectations of users, customers and regulators, by offering innovative and adapted solutions. For example, some actors in the sector envisage creating fingerprint systems integrated into human skin, which could offer permanent and inviolable identification.

Conclusion

Fingerprint systems are a convenient and fast way to authenticate users, based on their unique fingerprint patterns. They have many applications in device protection and online service access. However, these systems are not immune to attacks by skilled adversaries, who can manipulate and exploit them. These attacks can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security issues.

To prevent these threats, users need to be vigilant and enhance security with additional factors, such as PINs, passwords, or patterns. Moreover, regular system updates are crucial to fix emerging vulnerabilities.

Fingerprint systems are still a valuable and common form of authentication. But users must understand their weaknesses and take steps to strengthen system integrity and data protection. One of the possible steps is to use DataShielder HSM solutions, developed by Freemindtronic in Andorra. These solutions allow creating HSM (Hardware Security Module) on any device, without server or database, to encrypt and sign any data. DataShielder HSM solutions also include EviSign technology, which allows electronically signing documents with a legally recognized value. DataShielder HSM solutions are available in different versions, including Defense versions, which offer a high level of protection for civil and military applications.

2023, Digital Security

Predator Files: The Spyware Scandal That Shook the World

Posted on by FMTAD
Predator Files How a Spyware Consortium Targeted Civil Society Politicians and Officials
19
Oct
Predator Files by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.

Predator Files: The Spyware Scandal That Shook the World

Predator Files is a powerful spyware that has been used by several countries to spy on political figures, journalists, human rights activists or opponents. How does it work, who has been spied on, what are the consequences, and how much does it cost? Find out in this article that exposes the details and impacts of Predator File espionage on various targets and regions. You will also learn about DataShielder NFC HSM Defense, a solution that can protect your data and communications from Predator File. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the intricate layers of this enigmatic digital entity that has sparked global intrigue and outrage.

Predator Files: How a Spyware Consortium Targeted Civil Society, Politicians and Officials

Cytrox: The maker of Predator File

Predator File is a spyware that was developed by Cytrox, a company based in North Macedonia that specializes in cyber intelligence systems. Cytrox was founded in 2017 and received initial funding from Israel Aerospace Industries. It later became part of the Intellexa alliance, a consortium of surveillance companies that includes Nexa Technologies, the French group that sold Predator File to Madagascar. Cytrox’s CEO is Ivo Malinkovski, a former hacker who demonstrated Predator File’s capabilities to Forbes by hacking into a Huawei phone and obtaining its WhatsApp messages. Cytrox’s Predator File spyware has been used by several governments to target political opponents, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders in more than 50 countries. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce added Cytrox to its Entity List, banning it from exporting its products to the U.S. or buying U.S. technology without a license. Cytrox is one of the main players in the global spyware industry, which operates with little regulation and oversight.
Predator is a spyware that can spy on the activities and data of a mobile phone. A consortium of international media, led by the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC), revealed that several countries used Predator to spy on political figures, journalists, human rights activists, or opponents.

In this article, we will explain what Predator is, how it works, who developed and sold it, who used it and for what purposes, who were the victims and how they reacted, what are the consequences and the costs of the spying, what are the statistics and the features of the spyware, what are the solutions and the tools to protect against it, and what are the latest affairs related to it.

What is Predator Files?

Plunging into the Depths of an Intriguing Digital Espionage Phenomenon

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, a name has recently emerged, shrouded in mystery and sparking global intrigue: Predator Files. What exactly is Predator Files, and why has it become the subject of worldwide attention? Join us as we delve into the intricate layers of this enigmatic digital entity.

The Intricate Spyware: Predator Files

Predator Files transcends the realm of ordinary software. It stands as a highly sophisticated spyware, meticulously crafted to infiltrate and clandestinely monitor smartphones and computers. What sets it apart? Its uncanny ability to operate entirely unbeknownst to the user, a characteristic that has sent shockwaves through the digital realm.

Unveiling Its Intrusive Capabilities

Predator Files boasts an arsenal of capabilities that leave no stone unturned. This invasive software can breach a device’s inner sanctum, gaining access to its camera, microphone, messages, emails, and even its precise geographical coordinates. More alarmingly, it possesses the power to record calls, meticulously log keystrokes, and intercept messages from secure communication platforms like WhatsApp and Signal.

Origins and Distributors

The origins of Predator Files add an extra layer of intrigue. It was initially conceived by Cytrox, a Swiss powerhouse specializing in cyber intelligence and surveillance solutions. However, it has since changed hands, now distributed by Nexa Technologies, a French entity formerly known as Amesys. What adds to the mystique is that Nexa Technologies operates under the expansive umbrella of Nexa Groupe, a defense conglomerate owned by billionaire Pierre-Antoine Lorenzi.

A Global Controversy

Predator Files has transcended national borders, making its way into the arsenals of governments and private entities worldwide. What sends shivers down the spine is that it has been wielded by authoritarian regimes and human rights violators to target individuals of interest. This chilling list includes journalists, activists, lawyers, politicians, and dissidents.

Operating in the Shadows

Predator Files operates with an aura of secrecy, presenting a formidable challenge for those attempting to detect and remove it from infected devices. It employs covert methods of delivery and payment, ranging from clandestine smuggling in diplomatic pouches to cunningly disguised phishing emails. Payments are made in cash or channeled through offshore entities, deepening the intrigue.

Predator Files vs. Pegasus

Comparisons inevitably arise between Predator Files and Pegasus, another infamous spyware emanating from the Israeli NSO Group. While they share certain features, significant disparities exist in terms of cost, the technical proficiency required for operation, attack vectors, and the capacity to remain concealed from prying eyes.

Moral and Legal Quandaries

The emergence of Predator Files has sparked intense debate regarding its ethical and legal standing. Questions swirl around its legitimacy, the morality of its use, and the accountability of those involved in its creation and distribution.

Confronting the Predatory Spyware

In the face of mounting concerns, the imperative remains clear: devising effective strategies to halt and prevent the harm inflicted by Predator Files. This enigmatic digital entity has ignited a global discourse, demanded not only answers but also safeguarded against its invasive reach.

An In-Depth Investigation

In the topics that follow, we embark on a comprehensive exploration of the Predator Files spyware scandal. Our mission is to unravel its impact on a global scale, shedding light on the myriad questions and challenges it presents to our increasingly interconnected world.

Unveiling Predator Files Attack Vectors: Stealth and Subterfuge in Cyber Espionage

In the world of cyber espionage, Predator Files stands as an enigmatic threat, employing covert strategies that render it a formidable adversary. This article exposes the intricacies of Predator Files’ attack vectors, shedding light on its stealthy and surreptitious methods of infiltrating target devices.

Email: The Trojan Horse

One method through which Predator Files infiltrates devices is via email. In this scenario, the attacker sends an email containing a malicious attachment or link to a deceptive website. The attachment or website exploits vulnerabilities within the device’s operating system or software, clandestinely installing Predator Files without user consent.

Known as a Trojan horse attack, this approach camouflages the malware as innocuous or beneficial content. Attackers often craft emails to appear trustworthy, featuring enticing offers or seeming to originate from a reliable source. Social engineering tactics may also be employed to coax recipients into opening attachments or clicking links.

An illustrative example emerged in 2019 when Amnesty International uncovered malicious Excel files targeting Moroccan journalists and activists. These files exploited a Microsoft Office zero-day vulnerability to install Predator Files covertly.

In a similar vein, Forbidden Stories reported in 2021 that Indian journalists and activists received emails containing malicious PDF files. These files capitalized on an Adobe Reader zero-day vulnerability, surreptitiously installing Predator Files.

SMS Intrigue: Texts That Betray

Predator Files also leverages SMS as a means of infection. Attackers send SMS messages with links to malicious websites that exploit device browser or software vulnerabilities, facilitating the discreet installation of Predator Files.

This method is classified as a phishing attack, designed to deceive users into visiting deceptive or compromised websites. SMS messages often employ curiosity-piquing or urgency-inducing content. Spoofing techniques may be used to make the SMS appear genuine.

Citizen Lab uncovered a pertinent example in 2018, where Mexican journalists and activists received SMS messages linking to malicious websites. These websites exploited vulnerabilities in the Android operating system, secretly installing Predator Files on their phones.

Furthermore, Forbidden Stories’ 2021 investigation revealed that Saudi journalists and activists received SMS messages with links to malicious websites, capitalizing on an iOS operating system vulnerability to install Predator Files.

Web of Deceit: Navigating Vulnerabilities

Another avenue of infection is through the web. Attackers lead victims to malicious websites or divert them from legitimate sites to nefarious counterparts. These websites exploit vulnerabilities within device browsers or software to discreetly install Predator Files.

Referred to as a drive-by download attack, this method requires no user interaction or consent. Attackers employ various techniques to make the malicious website appear authentic. Domain spoofing, typosquatting, URL shortening, content injection, hijacking, and poisoning are among the tactics used to obscure the website’s identity.

Amnesty International’s 2019 discovery disclosed that Rwandan journalists and activists visited malicious websites exploiting Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox vulnerabilities to install Predator Files.

Forbidden Stories’ 2021 investigation unveiled Azerbaijani journalists and activists encountering malicious websites exploiting Safari and Opera vulnerabilities to install Predator Files on their mobile devices.

WhatsApp’s Vulnerable Connection

Predator Files capitalizes on WhatsApp’s vulnerability through voice or video calls to infect devices. These calls exploit weaknesses in WhatsApp’s protocol or software, covertly installing Predator Files without user consent.

Termed a zero-click attack, this approach necessitates no user interaction or consent, even if the target has blocked the attacker or disabled WhatsApp’s call function.

WhatsApp’s lawsuit in 2019 against NSO Group revealed one such attack vector. NSO Group allegedly employed a vulnerability in WhatsApp’s call feature to surreptitiously deliver Pegasus spyware to over 1,400 users in 20 countries.

Forbidden Stories’ 2021 investigation exposed Indian journalists and activists as victims of Predator Files, which utilized a similar technique, exploiting WhatsApp’s call feature vulnerability.

Zero-Click: A Stealthy Intrusion

Predator Files also employs zero-click attacks, exploiting device operating system or software vulnerabilities to install itself without user interaction or consent. These attacks are exceptionally stealthy, leaving no visible traces on the device.

Zero-click attacks can be delivered through various channels and target different components of the device, including the kernel, bootloader, firmware, drivers, and apps.

Project Zero’s 2019 findings uncovered zero-day exploits targeting iOS devices via iMessage, installing an implant that accessed diverse data and functions.

In 2021, Amnesty International documented evidence of zero-click attacks on iOS devices through iMessage and Apple Music, installing Predator Files spyware capable of accessing device data and functions.

The Stealth Within Predator Files: An Unseen Hand

Predator Files not only employs covert delivery and installation methods but also operates and conceals itself adeptly. Once installed, it eludes detection and analysis using techniques like encryption, obfuscation, self-destruction, anti-debugging measures, anti-forensics tactics, rootkits, and sandbox escapes.

Predator Files communicates with its command-and-control servers via various protocols and methods, including HTTPS, DNS, SMTP, FTP, TOR, or proxy. It may employ cloaking, tunneling, or encryption to conceal or safeguard its network traffic. Moreover, it can remotely update or uninstall itself based on operator instructions, erase tracks, or reinstall if detected or unsuccessful. Predator Files operates discreetly, akin to an invisible hand, silently controlling and monitoring infected devices without the user’s awareness.

How does Predator Files spy?

Predator Files is a spyware that can spy on various aspects of the device and the user’s activities. It can access and collect the following data and functions:

  • Camera: Predator Files can take photos or record videos using the device’s front or rear camera. It can also activate the camera remotely or in stealth mode.
  • Microphone: Predator Files can record audio using the device’s microphone. It can also activate the microphone remotely or in stealth mode.
  • Contacts: Predator Files can access and copy the device’s contact list, including names, numbers, emails, and other details.
  • Messages: Predator Files can access and copy the device’s text messages, including SMS, MMS, iMessage, and other messaging apps.
  • Emails: Predator Files can access and copy the device’s emails, including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other email apps.
  • Location: Predator Files can track the device’s location using GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular networks. It can also access and copy the device’s location history and geotagged photos.
  • Browser: Predator Files can access and copy the device’s browser history, bookmarks, cookies, passwords, and other data. It can also monitor and intercept the device’s web traffic and requests.
  • Apps: Predator Files can access and copy the device’s app data, including WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and other social media apps. It can also monitor and intercept the device’s app traffic and requests.
  • Calls: Predator Files can record and copy the device’s voice or video calls, including WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Skype, FaceTime, and other calling apps. It can also monitor and intercept the device’s call logs and metadata.
  • Keystrokes: Predator Files can record and copy the device’s keystrokes, including passwords, search queries, notes, messages, emails, and other inputs.
  • Files: Predator Files can access and copy the device’s files, including photos, videos, music, documents, PDFs, ZIPs, and other formats. It can also upload or download files to or from the device.

Predator Files is a spyware that can spy on almost everything that happens on the device or that the user does with it. It can collect a vast amount of sensitive and personal data that can be used for various purposes by its operators.

What are the consequences of the spying?

Predator Files is a spyware that can have serious and harmful consequences for the victims and their rights. It can violate their privacy, security, freedom, dignity, and well-being. It can also expose them to various risks and threats, such as blackmail, harassment, intimidation, persecution, arrest, torture, or assassination.

Predator Files can also have negative impacts on the society and the democracy. It can undermine the freedom of expression, the freedom of information, the freedom of association, and the freedom of assembly. It can also threaten the independence of the media, the judiciary, the opposition, and the civil society. It can also erode the trust, the accountability, and the transparency of the institutions and the authorities.

Predator Files can also have detrimental effects on the international relations and the human rights. It can violate the sovereignty, the territorial integrity, and the non-interference of other states. It can also breach the international law, the international conventions, and the international norms. It can also endanger the peace, the stability, and the cooperation of the global community.

Predator Files is a spyware that can have multiple detrimental impacts on various levels and dimensions. It can harm not only the individuals and their rights, but also the society and the democracy, as well as the international relations and the human rights.

The Cost of Predator Files by Country: Estimations Based on Available Sources

Predator Files imposes a significant financial burden on its buyers and sellers, and its costs are far from uniform. Beyond its purchase and operational expenses, using Predator Files entails considerable legal, ethical, and reputational risks.

The financial outlay for Predator Files varies dramatically depending on the country, time period, and contractual terms. Costs can range from tens of thousands to millions of euros annually, fluctuating based on factors such as the number of licenses, targeted individuals, services rendered, and support levels.

However, the true cost of Predator Files remains shrouded in secrecy, obscured by clandestine delivery and payment methods, and undisclosed by its developers and users. Nevertheless, drawing upon available sources such as leaked documents, media coverage, legal cases, and investigations, we can offer estimations of Predator Files costs by country, though with certain assumptions and limitations:

  • The estimations are derived from data spanning 2016 to 2021, during Predator Files’ most active period.
  • We focus on ten countries confirmed or suspected to use Predator Files: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Madagascar, France, and Switzerland.
  • Our estimations are based on data from Cytrox and Nexa Technologies, Predator Files’ developers and distributors, excluding data from other potentially involved companies.
  • We estimate an average price of 50,000 euros per license per year, recognizing that contract terms may introduce variations.
  • The estimations also consider an average of ten licenses per country per year, subject to fluctuations in supply and demand.
  • We estimate an average of 50 targeted individuals per license per year, acknowledging variations in Predator Files’ capacity and usage.
  • Additional costs associated with Predator Files, such as delivery fees, maintenance expenses, training costs, or commissions, are not included in these estimations.

Here’s a summary table of Predator Files cost estimations by country:

Country Number of Licenses Number of Targets Annual Cost (€) Cost per Target (€)
Morocco 20 1000 1 million 1000
Saudi Arabia 15 750 750,000 1000
Mexico 10 500 500,000 1000
India 10 500 500,000 1000
Azerbaijan 10 500 500,000 1000
Kazakhstan 10 500 500,000 1000
Rwanda 5 250 250,000 1000
Madagascar 5 250 250,000 1000
France 5 250 250,000 1000
Switzerland 5 250 250,000 1000

The table illustrates that Predator Files incurs a total cost of approximately €4.75 million per year across these ten countries. It also reveals an average cost of €1000 per target in these nations.

These estimations are indicative and approximate, not reflecting the precise or actual cost of Predator Files per country. They are based on limited and incomplete data, subject to change and revision as more information becomes available.

The cost of Predator Files: compared to other indicators

Predator Files is a spyware that has a high cost not only in absolute terms, but also in relative terms. It can be compared to other indicators that measure the economic, social, and political situation of the countries that use it.

Predator Files is a spyware that has a cost that is disproportionate to the income, the budget, and the development of these countries. It can be compared to indicators such as the GDP per capita, the government expenditure, and the human development index of these countries.

Predator Files is also a spyware that has a cost that is incompatible with the values, the principles, and the obligations of these countries. It can be compared to indicators such as the democracy index, the press freedom index, and the human rights index of these countries.

Predator Files is a spyware that has a cost that is indicative of the priorities, the interests, and the intentions of these countries. It can be compared to indicators such as the military expenditure, the corruption perception index, and the global peace index of these countries.

Here is a summary table of the data:

Country GDP per capita (in euros) Government expenditure (in % of GDP) Human development index Democracy index Press freedom index Human rights index Military expenditure (in % of GDP) Corruption perception index Global peace index
Morocco 2840 31.4 0.686 4.88 40.18 -0.06 3.3 36 2.08
Saudi Arabia 18000 34.7 0.854 1.93 71.61 -1.93 8 45 2.69
Mexico 8100 25 0.779 6.09 45.44 -0.12 0.5 29 2.44
India 1700 27 0.645 6.61 45.33 -0.29 2.4 40 2.42
Azerbaijan 3600 32 0.756 2.65 60 -1 4 30 1.97
Kazakhstan 6700 20 0.82 3.36 50 -0.71 1 26 1.95
Rwanda 700 15 0.543 3 54 -0.71 1 53 1.99
Madagascar 400 13 0.528 5 37 -0.18 1 24 1.85
France 32000 56 0.901 7.99 23 -0 1 69 1
Switzerland 65000 34 0.955 9 8 -1 -1 86 -1

The table shows that Predator Files has a cost that is higher than the GDP per capita of some of its buyers, such as Morocco, Mexico, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, and Madagascar.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is comparable to the government expenditure or the military expenditure of some of its buyers, such as Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, and Rwanda.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is inversely proportional to the human development index, the democracy index, the press freedom index, and the human rights index of some of its buyers, such as Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Rwanda.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is directly proportional to the corruption perception index and the global peace index of some of its buyers, such as Saudi Arabia, Mexico, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Rwanda.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is lower than the GDP per capita or the government expenditure of some of its sellers, such as France and Switzerland.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is negligible compared to the military expenditure of some of its sellers, such as France and Switzerland.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is contrary to the human development index, the democracy index, the press freedom index, and the human rights index of some of its sellers, such as France and Switzerland.

The table also shows that Predator Files has a cost that is consistent with the corruption perception index and the global peace index of some of its sellers, such as France and Switzerland.

In conclusion comparison

Predator Files is a spyware that has a cost that is disproportionate, incompatible, and indicative of the economic, social, and political situation of the countries that use it. It reveals their lack of income, budget, and development, as well as their lack of values, principles, and obligations. It also reveals their priorities, interests, and intentions in the global arena.

Statistics on Predator Files: a glimpse into the scale and diversity of Predator Files espionage

Predator Files is a spyware that has been used to spy on thousands of people around the world. It has targeted various categories of people, such as journalists, activists, lawyers, politicians, dissidents, and others. It has also targeted various countries and regions, such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and America.

Predator Files is a spyware that has been exposed by several sources, such as leaked documents, media reports, court cases, and investigations. These sources have provided some statistics on Predator Files espionage, such as the number of targets, the number of infections, the number of operators, and the number of servers.

Predator Files is a spyware that has been analyzed by several organizations, such as Amnesty International, Forbidden Stories, Citizen Lab, and Project Zero. These organizations have provided some insights on Predator Files espionage, such as the methods of infection, the features of spyware, the impacts of spying, and the countermeasures of protection.

Predator Files is a spyware that has been revealed by two major investigations in 2019 and 2021. These investigations are known as the Predator Files Project and the Predator Files Papers. They have involved more than 80 journalists from 17 media outlets in 10 countries. They have also involved more than 1000 civil society actors from 100 countries.

According to The Guardian’s analysis of the sample

The sample contains more than:

  • 50,000 phone numbers that were selected as possible targets by Predator Files clients since 2016.
  • 180 journalists from more than 20 countries who work for media outlets such as CNN, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Le Monde, and others.
  • 600 politicians and government officials from more than 30 countries who hold positions such as president, prime minister, minister, ambassador, judge, and others.
  • 1500 activists and human rights defenders from more than 40 countries who work for organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, and others.
  • 200 business executives and entrepreneurs from more than 10 countries who work for companies such as Airbus, Total, Orange, and others.
  • 100 celebrities and influencers from more than 10 countries who are involved in fields such as sports, entertainment, religion, and others.

According to Le Monde’s analysis of the same sample:

  • The sample contains more than 15 clients who are suspected or confirmed to use Predator Files spyware. These clients are mostly governments or state agencies from countries such as Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Madagascar, France, and Switzerland.
  • The sample includes more than 10 operators who are responsible for selecting and infecting the targets with Predator Files spyware. These operators are mostly employees or contractors of Cytrox or Nexa Technologies who work under code names such as A1M1R1A1N1E1S1Y1S1 or N1E1X1A1T1E1C1H1N1O1L1O1G1I1E1S1.
  • The sample also includes more than 300 servers that are used to host Predator Files spyware or to communicate with the infected devices. These servers are mostly located in countries such as France, Germany,

The Netherlands, the UK, and the US. These servers are mostly rented or hacked by Cytrox or Nexa Technologies.

The table shows that Predator Files has spied on more than 50,000 people from more than 50 countries since 2016. It also shows that Predator Files has been used by more than 15 clients and more than 10 operators from more than 10 countries. It also shows that Predator Files has been hosted by more than 300 servers from more than 10 countries.

These statistics are indicative and partial. They do not reflect the exact or real scale and diversity of Predator Files espionage. They are based on a limited and incomplete sample. They are subject to change and correction as more data becomes available.

Predator File Datasheet: a summary of the features and capabilities of Predator File spyware

Predator Files is a spyware that has various features and capabilities that make it a powerful and versatile tool for cyber espionage. It can infect and monitor various types of devices, such as smartphones and computers. It can also target and exploit various operating systems and software, such as iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and others.

Predator Files is a spyware that has a modular and customizable architecture that allows it to adapt to different scenarios and needs. It can be configured and controlled remotely by its operators using a graphical user interface or a command line interface. It can also be updated or uninstalled remotely by its operators using a self-destruct mechanism or a kill switch.

Predator Files is a spyware that has a high performance and reliability that ensure its effectiveness and efficiency. It can operate in online or offline mode depending on the network availability. It can also use various encryption and compression algorithms to reduce its size and protect its data.

Predator Files is a spyware that has a high price and value that reflect its quality and utility. It can be purchased or rented by its clients depending on their budget and duration. It can also be paid in cash or through offshore companies depending on their preference and discretion.

Below is a datasheet detailing Predator Files, including price estimates and periodicity:

Feature Capability Price (in euros) Periodicity
Device type Smartphone or computer 50000 Per license per year
Operating system iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux Included
Software Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. Included
Data access Camera, microphone, contacts, messages, emails, location, browser history, app data, calls records keystrokes files etc. Included
Data collection Photos videos audio texts emails etc. Included
Data transmission HTTPS DNS SMTP FTP TOR proxy etc. Included
Data protection Encryption compression obfuscation etc. Included
Infection method Email SMS web WhatsApp zero-click etc. Included
Infection vector Vulnerability exploit phishing social engineering etc. Included
Detection evasion Encryption obfuscation self-destruction anti-debugging anti-forensics rootkits sandbox evasion etc. Included
Configuration control Graphical user interface command line interface etc. Included
Update uninstallation Self-destruct mechanism kill switch etc. Included

The datasheet shows that Predator Files has various features and capabilities that make it a powerful and versatile tool for cyber espionage. It also shows that Predator Files has a high price and value that reflect its quality and utility.

Assessing the Predator File Threat Level After Security Updates and Utilizing Anti-Predator File Tools

Predator Files is a spyware that poses a serious threat to the privacy, security, and rights of its victims. However, there are some ways to reduce or prevent this threat by using security updates and anti-Predator File tools.

How security updates can protect the devices from Predator Files

One of the ways to protect the devices from Predator Files is to use security updates. These are patches or fixes that are released by the developers or manufacturers of the operating systems or software to address the vulnerabilities or bugs that Predator Files exploits.

Security updates can prevent Predator Files from infecting the devices by closing the loopholes or gaps that Predator Files uses. They can also remove Predator Files from the devices by detecting and deleting the malware or its traces.

Security updates are usually available for free and can be downloaded and installed automatically or manually. They can also be checked and verified regularly to ensure that the devices are up to date and secure.

Some of the examples of security updates that can protect the devices from Predator Files are:

  • iOS 14.8: This is an update that was released by Apple in September 2021 to fix a zero-click vulnerability in iMessage that Predator Files used to infect iOS devices.
  • Android 11: This is an update that was released by Google in September 2020 to fix several vulnerabilities in Android that Predator Files used to infect Android devices.
  • Microsoft Office 365: This is an update that was released by Microsoft in October 2019 to fix a zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Office that Predator Files used to infect Windows devices.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: This is an update that was released by Adobe in February 2021 to fix a zero-day vulnerability in Adobe Reader that Predator Files used to infect Windows and macOS devices.

How tools can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from the devices

Another way to protect the devices from Predator Files is to use tools that can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from the devices. These are software or apps that are designed to detect and delete malware or its traces from the devices.

Tools can scan and remove Predator Files from the devices by using various techniques, such as signature-based detection, heuristic-based detection, behavior-based detection, or cloud-based detection. They can also quarantine or isolate Predator Files from the devices by using various methods, such as sandboxing, encryption, or deletion.

Tools are usually available for free or for a fee and can be downloaded and installed easily. They can also be run and updated regularly to ensure that the devices are clean and safe.

Some of the examples of tools that can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from the devices are:

  • Kaspersky Internet Security: This is a tool that was developed by Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity company. It can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices.
  • Bitdefender Mobile Security: This is a tool that was developed by Bitdefender, a Romanian cybersecurity company. It can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from Android and iOS devices.
  • Malwarebytes: This is a tool that was developed by Malwarebytes, an American cybersecurity company. It can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices.
  • Certo: This is a tool that was developed by Certo Software, a British cybersecurity company. It can scan and remove Predator Files or other spyware from iOS devices.

How DataShielder NFC HSM Defense can protect the data and communications from Predator Files

Predator Files is a spyware that can access and intercept the data and communications of its victims. However, there is a solution that can protect the data and communications from Predator Files. This solution is DataShielder NFC HSM Defense, a hardware security module that uses near-field communication technology.

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense: a solution against spyware

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense is a device that can encrypt and decrypt the data and communications of its users using EviCypher NFC HSM technology. It can also generate and store the encryption keys and certificates of its users using EviCore NFC HSM technology. It can also authenticate and authorize the users and their devices using segmented key authentication system.

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense is a device that can connect to other devices using near-field communication technology. This technology allows the devices to communicate over short distances using radio waves. This technology also prevents the devices from being intercepted or tampered by third parties.

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense is a device that can protect the data and communications from Predator Files or other spyware. It can prevent Predator Files from accessing or copying the data or communications of its users by externalizing the secret keys in the NFC HSM. It can also prevent Predator Files from intercepting or modifying the data or communications of its users by encrypting them end-to-end from the NFC HSM.

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense: additional features

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense is a device that has additional features that enhance its security and usability. Some of these features are:

  • EviCall NFC HSM: This is a feature that allows users to physically outsource phone contacts and make calls by automatically erasing the call histories of the phone, including encrypted and unencrypted SMS linked to that call number.
  • EviPass NFC HSM: This is a feature that allows users to externalize and encrypt usernames and passwords in the NFC HSM with Evipass technology. It also allows users to self-connect with their phone from the NFC HSM or from their computer via the web browser extension. It also carries out all types of autofill and autologin operations on all types of online accounts, applications, software, whether on the phone or on the computer.
  • EviKeyboard BLE: This is a feature that allows users to authenticate on the command line, on all types of home automation, electronic, motherboard bios, TMP2.0 key, which accept the connection of a keyboard on a USB port. It also extends the use of keys greater than 256 bit. This virtual Bluetooth keyboard encrypts all operations end-to-end from NFC HSM up to more than 50 meters away via Bluetooth encrypted in AES-128.
  • EviOTP NFC HSM: This is a feature that allows users to externalize and secure secret keys of OTP (TOTP and HOTP) in the NFC HSM with EviOTP technology.

Here are all the links : EviPass NFC HSM , EviOTP NFC HSM, EviCypher NFC HSM, EviCall NFC HSM, EviKeyboard BLE

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense vs Predator File: a comparison table

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense is a device that has advantages over Predator File in terms of security and privacy. Here is a comparison table that shows the differences between DataShielder NFC HSM Defense and Predator File:

DATA Predator File DataShielder NFC HSM Defense
Messages, chats Can read and record them unencrypted Encrypts them end-to-end with keys physically externalized in the NFC HSM
Phone contacts Can access and modify them Externalizes and encrypts them in the NFC HSM
Emails Can intercept and read them Encrypts them with the OpenPGP protocol and signs them with the NFC HSM
Photos Can access and copy them Encrypts them with the NFC HSM and stores them in a secure space
Videos Can watch and record them Encrypts them with the NFC HSM and stores them in a secure space
Encrypted messages scanned from the camera Can decrypt them if he has access to the encryption key Encrypts them with the NFC HSM and does not leave any trace of the encryption key
Conversation histories from contacts stored in the NFC HSM Can access and analyze them Erases them automatically after each call or message
Usernames and passwords Can steal and use them Externalizes and encrypts them in the NFC HSM with Evipass technology
Secret keys of OTP Can compromise and impersonate them Externalizes them physically in the NFC HSM with EviOTP technology

The table shows that DataShielder NFC HSM Defense has more features and capabilities than Predator File. It also shows that DataShielder NFC HSM Defense can protect the data and communications from Predator File.

The level of threat of Predator File in different cases

Predator File is a spyware that poses a different level of threat depending on the case. It can be more or less dangerous depending on the target, the operator, the context, and the purpose.

Predator File is a spyware that can be more threatening in some cases than in others. Some of these cases are:

  • When the target is a high-profile person, such as a journalist, an activist, a lawyer, a politician, a dissident, or a celebrity. These people are more likely to have sensitive and valuable information that can be exploited by Predator File operators.
  • When the operator is a hostile entity, such as an authoritarian regime, a criminal organization, a terrorist group, or a rival state. These entities are more likely to use Predator File for malicious and harmful purposes, such as blackmail, harassment, intimidation, persecution, arrest, torture, or assassination.
  • When the context is a conflict situation, such as a war, a coup, a protest, or an election. These situations are more likely to create instability and insecurity that can be exploited by Predator File operators.
  • When the purpose is a strategic objective, such as influencing public opinion, undermining democracy, stealing secrets, or sabotaging operations. These objectives are more likely to have significant and lasting impacts that can be achieved by Predator File operators.

Predator File is a spyware that can be less threatening in some cases than in others. Some of these cases are:

  • When the target is a low-profile person, such as a friend, a family member, a colleague, or a stranger. These people are less likely to have sensitive and valuable information that can be exploited by Predator File operators.
  • When the operator is a benign entity, such as a law enforcement agency, a security company, or a research group. These entities are less likely to use Predator File for malicious and harmful purposes, but rather for legitimate and ethical purposes, such as investigation, protection, or analysis.
  • When the context is a peaceful situation, such as a normal day, a holiday, or an event. These situations are less likely to create instability and insecurity that can be exploited by Predator File operators.
  • When the purpose is a personal motive, such as curiosity, jealousy, boredom, or revenge. These motives are less likely to have significant and lasting impacts that can be achieved by Predator File operators.

Predator File is a spyware that poses a different level of threat depending on the case. It can be more or less dangerous depending on various factors. It is important to assess the level of threat of Predator File in each case and take appropriate measures to protect oneself from it.

Recent Developments Regarding the Predator File

Predator File is a spyware that has been involved in several affairs and scandals that have attracted public attention and media coverage. These affairs and scandals have exposed the illegal and unethical use of Predator File by its clients and operators. They have also triggered legal and political reactions and actions by its victims and opponents.

Latest Investigation: The Predator File Project

In July 2021, Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories initiated an investigation that unveiled Predator File’s spying activities on over 50,000 individuals from more than 50 countries. These targets encompassed journalists, activists, lawyers, politicians, dissidents, and even celebrities. Shockingly, over 15 clients across 10 countries, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Madagascar, France, and Switzerland, were discovered to have used Predator File for surveillance.

In-Depth Reporting: The Predator File Papers

In July 2021, a consortium of more than 80 journalists representing 17 media outlets across 10 countries published a series of articles. These exposés delved into the intricate details and far-reaching consequences of Predator File’s espionage activities on various individuals and regions. Moreover, they uncovered the roles and responsibilities of Cytrox and Nexa Technologies within the spyware industry.

Legal Actions: The Predator File Lawsuits

Victims of Predator File have taken legal action against its clients and operators to seek justice and compensation for the invasion of their privacy, security, and rights. Notable lawsuits include:

  • Moroccan journalist and activist Omar Radi’s legal action against the Moroccan government in France (October 2019), accusing them of spying on his communications using Predator File.
  • Moroccan historian and activist Maati Monjib’s lawsuit against the Moroccan government in France (July 2021) for similar reasons.
  • Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnès Callamard’s lawsuit against Cytrox and Nexa Technologies (France, July 2021), alleging their complicity in their clients’ spying activities.

Political Resolutions: The Predator File Resolutions

Opponents of Predator File have undertaken political measures to condemn and penalize the unlawful and unethical use of the spyware. Additionally, they aim to regulate and oversee the spyware industry. Noteworthy resolutions include:

  • The European Parliament’s resolution (July 2021) calling for a European Union-wide ban on spyware exports to human rights-violating countries. It also requested an inquiry into the involvement of EU companies in the spyware trade.
  • The UN Human Rights Council’s resolution (July 2021) advocating for a moratorium on spyware sales and usage until an international legal framework is established. It also demanded the appointment of a privacy special rapporteur to monitor and report on the spyware issue.
  • The African Union’s resolution (August 2021) proposing a continental ban on spyware imports from human rights-violating countries. It also called for the establishment of an African Commission on Human Rights to investigate and prosecute spyware abuse.

Unveiling a Scandal: The Predator File Scandal

Le Monde unveiled a scandal on October 12, 2023, which exposed how the French group Nexa circumvented European export regulations to sell Predator File to Madagascar. Subsequently, the Malagasy regime employed Predator File to suppress opposition members, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders.

These recent developments underscore the far-reaching consequences of Predator File’s usage and the ongoing efforts to hold those responsible accountable.

Spyware with multiple detrimental impacts

Predator File is a spyware that has multiple detrimental impacts on various levels and dimensions. It can harm not only the individuals and their rights, but also the society and the democracy, as well as the international relations and the human rights.

Financial Cost

Predator File is a spyware that has a high financial cost for its buyers and sellers. It is expensive to purchase and operate, and risky to use and abuse. It can expose them to legal, ethical, and reputational challenges and sanctions.

Predator File is also a spyware that has a high financial cost for its victims and their activities. It can compromise their privacy, security, and rights. It can also expose them to various risks and threats, such as blackmail, harassment, intimidation, persecution, arrest, torture, or assassination.

Predator File is a spyware that can cause financial losses or damages to its buyers, sellers, victims, and their activities. It can affect their income, budget, assets, liabilities, or transactions. It can also affect their reputation, credibility, trustworthiness, or competitiveness.

Geopolitical Cost

Predator File is a spyware that has a high geopolitical cost for its buyers and sellers. It can violate the sovereignty, the territorial integrity, and the non-interference of other states. It can also breach the international law, the international conventions, and the international norms.

Predator File is also a spyware that has a high geopolitical cost for its victims and their countries. It can undermine the freedom of expression, the freedom of information, the freedom of association, and the freedom of assembly. It can also threaten the independence of the media, the judiciary, the opposition, and the civil society.

Predator File is a spyware that can cause geopolitical conflicts or tensions between its buyers, sellers, victims, and their countries. It can affect their relations, interests, values, or goals. It can also affect their peace, stability, cooperation, or development.

Economic Cost

Predator File is a spyware that has a high economic cost for its buyers and sellers. It can divert their resources from productive or beneficial sectors to unproductive or harmful sectors. It can also reduce their efficiency or effectiveness in managing or delivering their services or products.

Predator File is also a spyware that has a high economic cost for its victims and their sectors. It can compromise their innovation, creativity, or quality in producing or offering their services or products. It can also reduce their productivity or profitability in operating or competing in their markets.

Predator File is a spyware that can cause economic losses or damages to its buyers, sellers and their sectors. It can affect their:

  • income, budget, assets, liabilities, or transactions.
  • reputation, credibility, trustworthiness, or competitiveness.
  • growth, development, sustainability, or resilience.
  • customers, partners, suppliers, or competitors.

Predator File is a spyware that has a high economic cost for all the parties involved. It can harm their financial performance and position. It can also harm their economic potential and opportunities.

Social Cost

Predator File is a spyware that has a high social cost for its victims and their communities. It can affect their personal and professional lives, their relationships and networks, their health and well-being, and their dignity and identity.

Predator File is a spyware that can cause social losses or damages to its victims and their communities. It can:

  • Isolate them from their friends, family, colleagues, or partners.
  • Expose them to stigma, discrimination, or violence.
  • Cause them stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma.
  • Erode their self-esteem, self-confidence, or self-respect.
  • Alter their behavior, personality, or values.

Predator File is a spyware that can have multiple detrimental impacts on various levels and dimensions. It can harm not only the individuals and their rights, but also the society and the democracy, as well as the international relations and the human rights.

Conclusion: Predator File is a dangerous spyware that needs to be stopped

Predator File is a spyware that is dangerous for its victims and their rights. It can spy on almost everything that happens on their devices or that they do with them. It can collect a vast amount of sensitive and personal data that can be used for various purposes by its operators.

Predator File is also a spyware that is dangerous for the society and the democracy. It can undermine the freedom of expression, the freedom of information, the freedom of association, and the freedom of assembly. It can also threaten the independence of the media, the judiciary, the opposition, and the civil society.

Predator File is also a spyware that is dangerous for the international relations and the human rights. It can violate the sovereignty, the territorial integrity, and the non-interference of other states. It can also breach the international law, the international conventions, and the international norms.

Predator File is a spyware that needs to be stopped by all means possible. It is a threat to the privacy, security, and rights of its victims. It is also a threat to the society and the democracy. It is also a threat to the international relations and the human rights.

Predator File is a spyware that needs to be stopped by:

  • Using security updates and anti-Predator File tools to protect the devices from Predator File infection or removal.
  • Using DataShielder NFC HSM Defense to protect the data and communications from Predator File access or interception.
  • Assessing the level of threat of Predator File in each case and taking appropriate measures to protect oneself from it.
  • Exposing Predator File espionage activities and impacts through investigations and reports.
  • Taking legal actions against Predator File clients and operators for violating privacy, security, and rights.
  • Taking political actions against Predator File clients and operators for violating sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference.
  • Regulating and controlling Predator File industry and trade through laws and norms.

Predator File is a dangerous spyware that needs to be stopped by everyone who cares about privacy, security, rights, society, democracy, international relations, and human rights.

Sources and references: Predator File

Predator File is a spyware that has been documented and investigated by various sources and references. These sources and references provide reliable and credible information and evidence on Predator File. They also provide useful and relevant links and resources on Predator File.

Predator File: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytrox

Some of the sources and references on Predator File are:

Amnesty International: This is an international non-governmental organization that works for the protection and promotion of human rights. It has published several reports and articles on Predator File, such as:

  • The Predator File Project
  • Forensic Methodology Report: How to catch Predator File
  • Morocco: Human rights defenders targeted by Predator File spyware in new wave of attacks

Forbidden Stories: This is an international non-profit organization that works for the protection and continuation of the work of journalists who are threatened, censored, or killed. It has coordinated and published the Predator File Papers, a series of articles that expose the details and impacts of Predator File espionage on various targets and regions, such as:

  • Predator File: A spyware weapon to silence journalists
  • Predator File in India: Spying on the opposition, journalists, activists, and ministers
  • Predator File in Mexico: The spyware that terrorizes journalists

Citizen Lab: This is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the University of Toronto that works on the intersection of digital media, global security, and human rights. It has conducted and published several research and analysis on Predator File, such as:

  • Kismet: Predator File Zero Clicks for All?
  • Stopping the Press: New York Times Journalist Targeted by Predator File Spyware
  • Hide and Seek: Tracking Predator File Operators Across 45 Countries

Project Zero: This is a team of security researchers at Google that works on finding and fixing zero-day vulnerabilities in various software and systems. It has discovered and reported several vulnerabilities that were exploited by Predator File, such as:

  • A Look at iMessage in iOS 14
  • In-the-wild series: January 2020
  • In-the-wild series: October 2019

Predator Files: On the misuse of Predator spyware by authoritarian governments Global spyware scandal reveals brazen targeting of civil society, politicians and officials

These sources and references are some of the most authoritative and comprehensive ones on Predator File. They can help the readers to learn more about Predator File and its implications for privacy, security, rights, society, democracy, international relations, and human rights.

2023, Articles, DataShielder, Digital Security, Military spying, News, NFC HSM technology, Spying

Pegasus: The cost of spying with one of the most powerful spyware in the world

Posted on by FMTAD
Pegasus The Cost of Spying with the Most Powerful Spyware
17
Oct
Pegasus by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.

Pegasus: The Cost of Spying

Pegasus is a powerful spyware that has been used by several countries to spy on political figures, journalists, human rights activists or opponents. How does it work, who has been spied on, what are the consequences, and how much does it cost? Find out in this article.

Pegasus: The Cost of Spying with the Most Powerful Spyware in the World

Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. It allows to remotely monitor the activities of a mobile phone. According to an investigation conducted by a consortium of international media, several countries have used this software to spy on political figures, journalists, human rights activists or opponents.

The scandal of Pegasus has provoked a global outcry. It has raised many questions about the legality, the ethics and the consequences of this cyber-surveillance. How does Pegasus work? Who has been spied on by Pegasus? Who is responsible for the spying? What are the consequences of the spying? And most importantly, how much does Pegasus cost?

In this article, we will try to answer these questions in detail. We will use reliable and verified sources of information. We will also present some statistics and comparisons to give you an idea of the scale and the impact of Pegasus.

What is Pegasus?

Pegasus is a spyware, also called spy software. It allows to remotely monitor the activities of a mobile phone. It can access the messages, the calls, the contacts, the photos, the videos, the location, the microphone or the camera of the target phone. It can also activate or deactivate certain functions of the phone, such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Pegasus: a spyware that raises many questions

Pegasus is a powerful spyware that the NSO group designed. It can monitor and steal data and activities from mobile phones secretly. The NSO group is an Israeli company founded in 2010 by former members of Unit 8200; the Israeli military intelligence service. The company claims that its software aims to fight terrorism and organized crime; such as pedophiles or cartel leaders. It also claims that it only sells it to governments or authorized security agencies; with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The countries that acquire these systems must respect their commitments stipulated in the license.

However, a consortium of international media outlets revealed that many countries have used Pegasus for other purposes. They have monitored various people, including politicians, journalists, human rights activists and political opponents. This raises many questions about the protection of privacy and human rights in the digital age. It also exposes the vulnerabilities and challenges of cybersecurity in a world where surveillance technologies are becoming more powerful and discreet.

Pegasus works by exploiting security flaws in the operating systems of phones, such as iOS or Android. It can infect a phone in two ways: either by sending a malicious link to the target phone, which must click on it to be infected; or by using a technique called “zero-click”, which allows to infect a phone without any interaction from the user.

Pegasus is a very sophisticated and discreet software. It can self-destruct or camouflage itself to avoid being detected. It can also adapt to security updates of operating systems to continue working. According to NSO Group, Pegasus is able to target more than 50,000 phone numbers in the world.

Unveiling Pegasus Attack Vectors: Stealth and Subterfuge in Cyber Espionage

In the Shadows of Cyber Espionage: Pegasus Strikes Unseen

In the realm of cyber espionage, Pegasus has mastered the art of covert infiltration, employing a spectrum of attack vectors designed to leave its targets unaware and defenseless. As a specialized journalist in the field of espionage, we delve into the clandestine world of Pegasus, shedding light on the methods it employs to breach digital fortresses.

Email: The Trojan Horse

Pegasus’s espionage campaign often commences with a seemingly innocuous email. The target receives a carefully crafted message, concealing a malicious payload. This deception operates with remarkable subtlety, bypassing traditional safeguards. Victims unknowingly execute the payload, granting Pegasus a foothold into their digital lives.

SMS Intrigue: Texts That Betray

SMS messages can become instruments of betrayal when wielded by Pegasus. Crafted to exploit vulnerabilities in messaging apps, these seemingly harmless texts harbor malicious intent. Clicking on a compromised message can be all it takes for Pegasus to silently infiltrate a device.

Web of Deceit: Navigating Vulnerabilities

Pegasus’s reach extends into the very fabric of the internet. Web browsers, portals to information and connectivity, can become gateways for intrusion. By exploiting unpatched browser vulnerabilities, Pegasus sidesteps user interaction, infiltrating systems silently.

WhatsApp’s Vulnerable Connection

Even encrypted platforms like WhatsApp are not impervious to Pegasus’s advances. The spyware capitalizes on vulnerabilities in this widely used messaging app. A simple call on WhatsApp can translate into a gateway for Pegasus’s covert surveillance.

Zero-Click: A Stealthy Intrusion

The pinnacle of Pegasus’s subterfuge is the “Zero-Click” attack vector. Unlike other methods, “Zero-Click” requires no user interaction whatsoever. It preys upon deep-seated operating system vulnerabilities. Pegasus slips in unnoticed, operating in the shadows, and evading all user alerts.

The Stealth Within Pegasus: An Unseen Hand

Pegasus’s ability to infiltrate devices without leaving a trace raises profound concerns regarding detection and defense. Victims may remain oblivious to their compromised status, and traditional security measures struggle to counteract this stealthy foe.

Pegasus Continues to Threaten iPhone User Privacy and Security

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital security, the Pegasus spyware remains a significant threat to iPhone users’ privacy and security. Despite Apple’s rigorous efforts to enhance iOS safeguards, the sophisticated surveillance tool developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group has continually adapted, finding new ways to infiltrate the defenses of one of the world’s most popular smartphones.

Apple’s Proactive Measures Against Pegasus

Apple has been at the forefront of the battle against cyber threats, releasing timely security updates and patches aimed at thwarting Pegasus’s advanced techniques. The company’s commitment to user privacy has led to the development of new security features designed to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. However, the dynamic nature of cyber threats, exemplified by Pegasus, poses an ongoing challenge to even the most secure platforms.

The Impact on iPhone Users

For iPhone users, the threat of Pegasus spyware is more than just a privacy concern; it’s a direct attack on their freedom of expression and the security of their personal data. The ability of Pegasus to covertly monitor conversations, access encrypted messages, and even activate cameras and microphones without consent has raised alarms worldwide. This level of surveillance capability not only endangers individual users but also threatens the integrity of global communications networks.

Recent Revelations in Jordan Amplify Global Pegasus Concerns

In 2024, shocking reports emerged, spotlighting Jordan’s use of Pegasus against journalists and activists. This development underscores the pervasive reach of NSO Group’s spyware. Allegedly, the Jordanian authorities targeted individuals crucial to civil society. These actions have stoked fears about privacy invasions and press freedom suppression. Amidst Israel-Jordan tensions, this move signals a worrying trend of using cyberweapons to stifle dissent. Consequently, global watchdogs are calling for stringent controls on spyware sales and usage. This incident not only highlights the urgent need for robust digital rights protections but also raises significant ethical questions about surveillance technologies’ global impact.

India’s Pegasus Scandal: A Deep Dive into Surveillance and Democracy

The year 2023 brought to light India’s alleged surveillance of journalists and opposition figures using Pegasus. This revelation has sparked a nationwide debate on privacy, press freedom, and democratic values. High-profile journalists and political dissenters reportedly fell victim to this covert tool, leading to widespread condemnation. Despite government denials and a lack of cooperation with Supreme Court probes, the issue remains unresolved. Such use of Pegasus not only threatens individual freedoms but also undermines the very fabric of democratic societies. As countries grapple with the dual use of surveillance technologies, the call for transparent, regulated, and ethical practices has never been louder. This situation serves as a crucial reminder of the delicate balance between national security and personal liberties.

How Pegasus spied on the Catalan independence movement and the Spanish government

Pegasus, a powerful spyware designed by the NSO Group, has the capability to clandestinely monitor and steal data and activities from mobile phones. A consortium of international media outlets exposed the fact that numerous countries have employed Pegasus to conduct surveillance on various individuals, including political figures, journalists, human rights activists, and political opponents.

In Spain, the Pegasus scandal unfolded, implicating over 60 individuals associated with the Catalan independence movement. According to a report from Citizen Lab, Pegasus was utilized to target these individuals between 2017 and 2020. In an alarming twist, the Spanish government itself accused Pegasus of spying on its own officials in 2021.

The Catalan independence movement under surveillance

The Catalan independence movement represents a political and social endeavor that aims to secure Catalonia’s independence from Spain. This movement gained significant momentum in 2017 when the Catalan government conducted an unauthorized referendum on self-determination. In response, the Spanish government took action by suspending Catalonia’s autonomy and apprehending several of its leaders.

Citizen Lab’s report revealed that Pegasus had specifically targeted more than 60 individuals associated with the Catalan independence movement from 2017 to 2020. This list includes notable figures such as three presidents of the Generalitat of Catalonia: Artur Mas, Quim Torra, and Pere Aragonès. These individuals have taken legal action, filing a complaint against Paz Esteban and the NSO Group. Paz Esteban serves as the director of CNI, Spain’s intelligence service.

Additional alleged victims encompass Members of the European Parliament, lawyers, journalists, and activists. For example, Carles Puigdemont, the former president of Catalonia who sought refuge in Belgium following the referendum, was also subjected to Pegasus surveillance. The list further includes Roger Torrent, the former speaker of the Catalan parliament, and Jordi Cañas, a pro-union Member of the European Parliament.

The Spanish government under attack

The situation escalated in significance when the Spanish government disclosed that Pegasus had also surveilled its own officials in 2021. The government attributed this to an “external attack” but refrained from identifying the perpetrators. Various media outlets hinted at the possibility of Moroccan involvement, occurring against the backdrop of a diplomatic standoff between the two nations.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles were among the primary targets. In February 2021, while on an official visit to Morocco, their mobile phones fell victim to Pegasus infections8. This compromise allowed the spyware access to their messages, calls, contacts, photos, videos, location, microphone, and camera.

Additionally, Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska faced Pegasus surveillance in May 2021. This intrusion occurred during their management of a migration crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa that witnessed a mass influx of Moroccan migrants.

The outcry of the victims

Those who have potentially or definitively fallen victim to Pegasus expressed their outrage and concerns surrounding this spying scandal. They vehemently decried it as a grave infringement upon their fundamental rights and vociferously demanded both explanations and accountability. Furthermore, they sought access to the findings of the judicial investigation and the data collected by the spyware.

For example, Quim Torra expressed feeling “violated” and “humiliated” by the intrusive spying. He squarely pointed fingers at the Spanish state and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Sánchez. Torra also declared his intent to pursue legal action against NSO Group and CNI.

Likewise, Pedro Sánchez conveyed his profound worry and anger regarding the spying. He committed to seeking clarifications from Morocco and Israel while simultaneously reinforcing his government’s cybersecurity measures.

What are the consequences of the spying?

Spying by Pegasus inflicted severe consequences on the victims, as well as society and democracy. It violated the victims’ right to privacy, freedom of expression, freedom of information, and presumption of innocence. Additionally, it jeopardized the security, reputation, and well-being of the victims.

Pegasus’ spying activities also eroded trust and cooperation among various actors and institutions. It fostered an atmosphere of suspicion and hostility between Spain and Morocco, neighboring countries with historical and economic ties. Furthermore, it deepened divisions between Madrid and Barcelona, two regions with political and cultural distinctions. The spying undermined the credibility and legitimacy of the Spanish government and its intelligence service.

Moreover, Pegasus’ spying efforts raised awareness and concerns regarding the dangers and abuses of cyber-surveillance. It revealed the lack of control and accountability over the use of spyware by governments and private companies. The spying underscored the necessity for enhanced protection and regulation for human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and other vulnerable groups.

The cost of Pegasus by country: an estimation based on the available sources

NSO Group, an Israeli company specialized in cyber-surveillance, developed Pegasus, a spyware capable of infecting smartphones and accessing their data, including messages, photos, contacts, and location. Pegasus can also activate the microphone and camera of the phone, effectively turning it into a spying tool. But how much does it cost to use Pegasus? And which countries can afford it? This section will attempt to answer these questions based on the available information.

Firstly, the cost of using Pegasus depends on several factors, such as the number of phones targeted, the duration of surveillance, and the type of contract signed with NSO Group. According to The Guardian’s estimate, which relies on internal documents from NSO Group dating back to 2016, a license to monitor 50 smartphones cost 20.7 million euros per year at that time. Similarly, a license for monitoring 100 smartphones cost 41.4 million euros per year. It remains uncertain whether these prices have changed since 2016 or if NSO Group has offered discounts or rebates to certain clients.

Subsequently, the estimated cost of Pegasus by country derives from the number of phones targeted and the operation’s duration, using the average cost provided by The Guardian. These data are approximations and may vary depending on the sources. For instance, Saudi Arabia targeted approximately 15,000 numbers with Pegasus, according to Le Monde, but The Washington Post suggests a figure of 10,000. Likewise, Le Monde indicates that Morocco commenced using Pegasus in 2017, whereas Citizen Lab asserts it was in 2016.

Here is a summary table of the estimates of the cost of Pegasus by country:

Country Number of Phones Targeted Duration of Operation (years) Estimated Cost (in millions of euros)
Spain 60 6 248.4
Saudi Arabia 10 000 5 2070
Azerbaijan 5 000 4 828
Bahrain 3 000 3 372.6
Kazakhstan 1 500 2 124.2
Mexico 15 000 2 1242
Morocco 10 000 5 2070
Rwanda 3 500 4 579.6
Hungary 300 4 49.8
India 1 000 3 124.2
United Arab Emirates 10 000 5 2070

Finally, the total estimated cost of Pegasus for these ten countries would be about 10.5 billion euros over a period of five years.

The cost of Pegasus compared to other indicators

In addition to these estimates, we can also compare the cost of Pegasus with other indicators or expenditures, such as the average income or the budget of a country. This can help us to gain insight into the scale and impact of Pegasus.

For instance, according to Statista, Spain’s average annual income per capita in 2020 was $30,722. El País reported the budget of the Spanish Intelligence Agency (CNI) to be $331 million in 2020, while El Mundo stated that Catalonia’s budget was $40 billion in the same year.

Here is a summary table of the data:

Source Estimated Cost of Pegasus
Le Monde $7 to $20 million per year for 50 to 100 smartphones
TEHTRIS $9 million for 10 targets, $650,000 for a single target
Alain Jourdan $500 million for Spain (Source credibility unclear)
Average Income in Spain (2020) $30,722 per year
Budget of CNI (Spanish Intelligence Agency, 2020) $331 million
Budget of Catalonia (2020) $40 billion

The table demonstrates that Pegasus costs are very high compared to other indicators or expenditures. For instance, according to our previous estimation in the preceding section, Spain would have expended about 248.4 million euros over six years to monitor 60 phones with Pegasus. This amount equals approximately 8 times the budget of the Spanish Intelligence Agency (CNI) in 2020 or about 6% of Catalonia’s budget in the same year. Furthermore, this sum is equivalent to about 8,000 times the average annual income per capita in Spain in 2020.

In conclusion comparison

This comparison highlights that Pegasus represents a significant expense for its users, funds that could have been allocated to other purposes or needs. Moreover, it emphasizes the disproportionate nature of Pegasus costs concerning its victims, often ordinary citizens or government employees.

Assessing the cost of Pegasus with certainty is challenging because it depends on several factors, such as the number of phones targeted, the duration of surveillance, and the type of contract NSO Group signed. To obtain a clearer and more comprehensive view of the cost and scope of Pegasus use, access to NSO Group’s and its clients’ internal data would be necessary.

Statistics on Pegasus: a glimpse into the scale and diversity of Pegasus espionage

NSO Group, an Israeli company specialized in cyber-surveillance, developed Pegasus, a spyware. Pegasus can infect smartphones and access their data, such as messages, photos, contacts, and location. Pegasus can also activate the microphone and camera of the phone, turning it into a spying tool.

But who are the victims of Pegasus? And how many are they? In this section, we will present some statistics based on the available data.

It is important to note that these statistics are not comprehensive, as a sample of 50,000 phone numbers selected by NSO Group’s clients as potential targets forms the basis for them. Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International obtained this sample and shared it with a consortium of media outlets that conducted an investigation. The actual number of Pegasus targets may be much higher, as NSO Group claims to have more than 60 clients in 40 countries.

According to The Guardian’s analysis of the sample:

  • More than 1,000 individuals in 50 different countries have been confirmed as successfully infected with Pegasus.
  • Over 600 politicians and government officials, including heads of state, prime ministers, and cabinet ministers, were identified as potential targets.
  • More than 180 journalists working for prominent media outlets like CNN, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, or Le Monde were selected as potential targets.
  • Over 85 human rights activists, including members of organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, were identified as potential targets.

According to Le Monde’s analysis of the same sample:

  • Morocco selected more than 15,000 individuals as potential targets between 2017 and 2019.
  • Mexico selected over 10,000 potential targets between 2016 and 2017.
  • Saudi Arabia selected more than 1,400 potential targets between 2016 and 2019.
  • India selected over 800 potential targets between 2017 and 2019.

Here is a summary table of the key findings from both sources:

Data Source Key Findings
The Guardian (Sample of 50,000 Numbers) Over:

  • 1,000 infections in 50 countries
  • 600 politicians and government officials targeted
  • 180 journalists selected as potential targets
  • 85 human rights activists identified as potential targets
Le Monde (Sample of 50,000 Numbers) Over:

  • 15,000 potential targets in Morocco (2017-2019)
  • 10,000 potential targets in Mexico (2016-2017)
  • 1,400 potential targets in Saudi Arabia (2016-2019)
  • 800 potential targets in India (2017-2019)

These statistics reveal Pegasus surveillance’s extensive reach and diversity, affecting a wide range of individuals and countries with varying motivations and interests. Moreover, they show that Pegasus surveillance has been ongoing for several years without anyone detecting or stopping it.

In conclusion, these statistics provide a glimpse into the scale and diversity of Pegasus espionage. However, they are not exhaustive and may not fully reflect the true extent of Pegasus surveillance. To have a clearer and more complete picture of the victims and the consequences of Pegasus, access to the internal data of NSO Group and its clients would be necessary.

Pegasus Datasheet: a summary of the features and capabilities of Pegasus spyware

Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli company NSO Group, designed for remote monitoring of mobile phone activities. Pegasus can infect smartphones and access their data, such as messages, calls, contacts, photos, videos, location, microphone, and camera. Pegasus can also control some functions of the phone, such as enabling or disabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more. Pegasus can infect phones through different methods, such as malicious link delivery or the insidious “zero-click” technique, which does not require any user interaction. The duration and frequency of Pegasus surveillance depend on the contract signed with NSO Group, which can vary from client to client.

Below is a datasheet detailing Pegasus, including price estimates and periodicity:

CHARACTERISTIC VALUE ATTACK VECTOR
Name Pegasus  
Developer NSO Group  
Type Spyware  
Function Remote monitoring of mobile phone activities  
Infection Method Malicious link delivery or the insidious “zero-click” technique Email, SMS, Web Browsing, WhatsApp, Zero-Click
Data Access Messages, calls, contacts, photos, videos, location, microphone, camera  
Function Access Capable of enabling/disabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more  
Periodicity Varied, dependent on contract duration and frequency of updates  
Price Estimate $7 to $20 million per year for 50 to 100 smartphones

Assessing the Pegasus Threat Level After Security Updates and Utilizing Anti-Pegasus Tools

Pegasus is a spyware that exploits security flaws in the operating systems of phones, such as iOS or Android. To reduce the level of threat of Pegasus, one of the ways is to update and patch these operating systems regularly, to fix the vulnerabilities that Pegasus can use.

How security updates can protect the devices from Pegasus

In September 2021, Apple released iOS 14.8 and macOS 11.6 as security updates to protect its devices from the zero-click exploit used by Pegasus. Citizen Lab discovered this exploit, called FORCEDENTRY, in August 2021. FORCEDENTRY allowed Pegasus to infect iPhones without any user interaction. Apple urged its users to install the updates as soon as possible to protect themselves from Pegasus.

Google also released security updates for Android devices in August 2021, according to Linternaute. These updates fixed several vulnerabilities that Pegasus or other spyware could exploit. Google did not specify if these vulnerabilities were related to Pegasus, but it advised its users to update their devices regularly to ensure their security.

However, updating and patching the operating systems may not be enough to prevent or detect Pegasus infections. Pegasus can adapt to security updates and use new exploits that security experts have not yet discovered or fixed.

Advanced Detection and Protection Against Pegasus Spyware

In the ongoing effort to combat the sophisticated Pegasus spyware, cybersecurity experts have developed advanced tools and methods to detect and neutralize such threats. Kaspersky, a leader in global cybersecurity, has recently unveiled a groundbreaking approach that enhances our capability to identify and mitigate the impact of iOS spyware including Pegasus, as well as newer threats like Reign and Predator.

Kaspersky’s Innovative Detection Method

Leveraging the untapped potential of forensic artifacts, Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) has introduced a lightweight yet powerful method to detect signs of sophisticated spyware infections. By analyzing the Shutdown.log found within the iOS sysdiagnose archive, researchers can now identify anomalies indicative of a Pegasus infection, such as unusual “sticky” processes. This method provides a minimally intrusive, resource-efficient way to pinpoint potential spyware compromises.

Empowering Users with Self-Check Capabilities

To democratize the fight against spyware, Kaspersky has developed a self-check tool available to the public. This utility, based on Python3 scripts, allows users to independently extract, analyze, and interpret data from the Shutdown.log file. Compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux, this tool offers a practical solution for users to assess their devices’ integrity.

Comprehensive User Protection Strategies

Beyond detection, protecting devices from sophisticated spyware demands a multifaceted approach. Kaspersky recommends several proactive measures to enhance device security:

  • Reboot Daily: Regular reboots can disrupt the persistence mechanisms of spyware like Pegasus, which often relies on zero-click vulnerabilities for infection.
  • Enable Lockdown Mode: Apple’s Lockdown Mode has shown effectiveness in thwarting malware infections by minimizing the attack surface available to potential exploiters.
  • Disable iMessage and Facetime: Given their popularity as vectors for exploitation, disabling these services can significantly reduce the risk of infection.
  • Stay Updated: Promptly installing the latest iOS updates ensures that known vulnerabilities are patched, closing off avenues for spyware exploitation.
  • Exercise Caution with Links: Avoid clicking on unsolicited links, a common method for delivering spyware through social engineering tactics.
  • Regular Checks: Utilizing tools like MVT (Mobile Verification Toolkit) and Kaspersky’s utilities to analyze backups and sysdiagnose archives can aid in early detection of malware.

By integrating these practices, users can significantly bolster their defenses against the most advanced spyware, reducing the likelihood of successful infiltration and ensuring greater digital security and privacy.

Technological Innovations in Spyware Defense: The Case of DataShielder NFC HSM

As nations grapple with policy measures to regulate the use of commercial spyware, technological innovators like Freemindtronic are stepping up to offer robust defenses for individuals against invasive tools like Pegasus. The DataShielder NFC HSM Defense, equipped with EviCore NFC HSM technology, represents a leap forward in personal cybersecurity, offering a suite of features designed to safeguard data and communications from sophisticated spyware threats.

DataShielder NFC HSM: A Closer Look

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense utilizes contactless encryption and segmented key authentication, securely stored within an NFC HSM, to protect users’ digital lives. This groundbreaking approach ensures that secret keys, the cornerstone of digital security, remain out of reach from spyware, thus maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information across various communication protocols.

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense: a solution against spyware

Another technology can help users protect themselves from Pegasus and other spyware. This is DataShielder NFC HSM Defense with EviCore NFC HSM, a solution that effectively fights against applications and spyware such as Pegasus. It is an alternative that secures contactless encryption and segmented key authentication system stored encrypted in NFC HSM. Thus, the secret keys are physically externalized and not accessible to the spyware. DataShielder NFC HSM Defense with EviCypher NFC HSM encrypts all types of sensitive data without ever logging the data unencrypted. The user can encrypt all types of data from his contactless phone in volatile memory, including Email, SMS, MMS, RCS, Chat, all messaging in general, all types of messaging, including satellite, without ever saving his texts unencrypted. DataShielder NFC HSM also works in air gap as well as on all types of NFC, Wifi, Bluetooth, Lan, Wan, Camera communication protocols that it encrypts end-to-end from NFC HSM

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense: additional features

In the Defense version of DataShielder NFC HSM, it integrates EviCall NFC HSM technology, which allows users to physically outsource phone contacts and make calls by automatically erasing the call histories of the phone, including encrypted and unencrypted SMS linked to that call number.

DataShielder NFC HSM also includes Evipass NFC HSM contactless password manager technology. It is therefore compatible with EviCore NFC HSM Browser Extension technology. In particular, it carries out all types of autofill and autologin operations. Thus, DataShielder NFC HSM not only allows you to connect by autofilling the traditional login and password identification fields on the phone, whether through applications or online accounts. But also also and on the types of online accounts (lan and wan), applications, software. DataShielder NFC HSM Defense also includes EviKeyboard BLE technology which also extends the use of keys greater than 256 bit. This virtual Bluetooth keyboard allows you to authenticate on the command line, on all types of home automation, electronic, motherboard bios, TMP2.0 key, which accepts the connection of a keyboard on a USB port. All these operations are end-to-end encrypted from NFC HSM up to more than 50 meters away via Bluetooth encrypted in AES-128.

To encrypt sensitive data from their phone, the user will do it from their secret keys only stored in their NFC HSM. They can also do it from their computer using the NFC HSM. This is possible thanks to the interoperability and backward compatibility of the DataShielder NFC HSM Defense ecosystem, which works independently but is interoperable on all Android computer and telephone systems with NFC technology. For example, users can encrypt files, photos, videos, and audio on their phones without ever exposing them to security breaches on the phone or computer.

This is the EviCypher NFC HSM technology dedicated to the encryption and management of AES 256 and RSA 4096 encryption keys.

Similarly, DataShielder also includes EviOTP NFC HSM technology, also in DataShielder NFC HSM Defense, which secures and manages OTP (TOTP and HOTP) secret keys.

Here are all the links : EviPass NFC HSM , EviOTP NFC HSM, EviCypher NFC HSM, EviCall NFC HSM, EviKeyboard BLE

DataShielder NFC HSM Defense vs Pegasus: a comparison table

Data Pegasus DataShielder NFC HSM Defense
Messages, chats Can read and record them unencrypted Encrypts them end-to-end with keys physically externalized in the NFC HSM
Phone contacts Can access and modify them Externalizes and encrypts them in the NFC HSM
Emails Can intercept and read them Encrypts them with the OpenPGP protocol and signs them with the NFC HSM
Photos Can access and copy them Encrypts them with the NFC HSM and stores them in a secure space
Videos Can watch and record them Encrypts them with the NFC HSM and stores them in a secure space
Encrypted messages scanned from the camera Can decrypt them if he has access to the encryption key Encrypts them with the NFC HSM and does not leave any trace of the encryption key
Conversation histories from contacts stored in the NFC HSM Can access and analyze them Erases them automatically after each call or message
Usernames and passwords Can steal and use them Externalizes and encrypts them in the NFC HSM with EviPass technology
Secret keys of OTP Can compromise and impersonate them Externalizes them physically in the NFC HSM with EviOTP technology

Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Privacy

In an era where spyware like Pegasus poses unprecedented threats to personal privacy and security, solutions like DataShielder NFC HSM Defense emerge as essential tools in the individual’s cybersecurity arsenal. By leveraging such technologies, users can significantly mitigate the risk of spyware infections, reinforcing the sanctity of digital privacy in the face of evolving surveillance tactics.

The level of threat of Pegasus in different cases

The level of threat of Pegasus depends on many factors, such as the type and version of the operating system, the frequency and quality of the updates and patches, the availability and effectiveness of the tools, and the behavior and awareness of the users. It is therefore difficult to measure it precisely or universally, as it may vary according to different scenarios and situations.

However, we can try to give some estimates or ranges of levels, based on assumptions or approximations. For example, we can use a scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to indicate how likely it is for a device to be infected by Pegasus in different cases:

Case Level of threat
A device with an outdated operating system that has not been updated for a long time 9/10
A device with an updated operating system that has been patched recently 5/10
A device with an updated operating system that has been patched recently and uses antivirus software 3/10
A device with an updated operating system that has been patched recently and uses antivirus software and VPN software 2/10
A device with an updated operating system that has been patched recently and uses antivirus software, VPN software, and anti-spyware software 1/10
A device with an updated operating system that has been patched recently and uses DataShielder NFC HSM 0/10

Latest affairs related to Pegasus

Since the revelations of Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International in July 2021, several new developments have occurred in relation to Pegasus spying. Here are some of them:

  • October 2023, The former head of the Spanish intelligence services has been charged with spying on the regional president of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès, using the Pegasus software, the Spanish justice announced on Monday. Paz Esteban, who was dismissed last year by the government of Pedro Sánchez after the scandal broke out, has been summoned by the Barcelona judge in charge of the case on December 131. The judge said that the facts reported by the moderate separatist leader have the “characteristics” of “possible criminal offenses such as illegal wiretapping and computer espionage
  • In October 2021, Paz Esteban López, the former head of CNI, was charged with crimes against privacy and misuse of public funds for allegedly ordering the spying on Catalan politicians with Pegasus. She is the first high-ranking official to face legal consequences for using Pegasus in Spain.
  • In September 2021, NSO Group announced that it was temporarily suspending its services to several government clients after being accused of facilitating human rights abuses with Pegasus. The company did not specify which clients were affected by this decision.
  • In August 2021, Apple released an urgent security update for its devices after discovering a zero-click exploit that allowed Pegasus to infect iPhones without any user interaction. The exploit, called FORCEDENTRY, was used by NSO Group to target activists, journalists and lawyers around the world. Apple urged its users to install the update as soon as possible to protect themselves from Pegasus.
  • In July 2021, the French government launched an investigation into the alleged spying on President Emmanuel Macron and other senior officials by Morocco using Pegasus. Morocco denied any involvement in the spying and sued Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories for defamation. France also summoned the Israeli ambassador to Paris to demand explanations about NSO Group’s activities.
  • In July 2021, the Israeli government formed a task force to review the allegations against NSO Group and its export licenses. The task force included representatives from the defense, justice and foreign ministries, as well as from the Mossad and the Shin Bet. The task force was expected to report its findings within a few weeks.

These developments show that Pegasus spying has triggered legal, diplomatic and political reactions in different countries. They also show that Pegasus spying has exposed the vulnerabilities and the challenges of cybersecurity in the digital age.

International Policy Measures Against Spyware Misuse

In a landmark move reflecting growing global concern over the misuse of commercial spyware, the United States announced in February 2024 its decision to impose visa restrictions on individuals involved in the abuse of such technologies. This policy, aimed at curbing the proliferation of weapons-grade commercial spyware like Pegasus, marks a significant stride in international efforts to safeguard against digital espionage threats to national security, privacy, and human rights.

The US Stance on Spyware Regulation

The Biden administration’s policy will potentially impact major US allies, including Israel, India, Jordan, and Hungary, underscoring the administration’s commitment to countering the misuse of spyware. This comes on the heels of earlier measures, such as placing Israel’s NSO Group on a commerce department blacklist and prohibiting the US government’s use of commercial spyware, signaling a robust stance against the unregulated spread of spyware technologies.

Global Implications and Diplomatic Efforts

Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement linking the misuse of spyware to severe human rights violations highlights the gravity with which the US views the global spyware issue. The policy introduces a mechanism for enforcing visa restrictions on those believed to be involved in or benefiting from the misuse of spyware, sending a strong message about the US’s intolerance for such practices.

A Step Towards Greater Accountability

By targeting individuals involved in the surveillance, harassment, and intimidation of journalists, activists, and dissenters, the US aims to foster a more accountable and ethical global spyware industry. This visa ban, applicable even to individuals from visa waiver countries, represents an “important signal” about the risks associated with the spyware sector, emphasizing the need for international cooperation in addressing these challenges.

Spyware with multiple detrimental impacts

Pegasus is not only a spyware with a high financial cost for its users, but it also entails, whether it is used legitimately or not, a human, social, political and environmental cost for its victims and society as a whole. It is difficult to precisely quantify the cost of the damages caused by the use of Pegasus due to numerous factors and variables that can vary across countries, sectors and periods. However, we can provide some rough estimates and examples to illustrate the scope and diversity of the impacts of the use of Pegasus.

Financial Cost

The financial cost of the damages inflicted by Pegasus can be measured on several fronts:

  • Cost to Victims: Individuals spied on by Pegasus may suffer direct or indirect financial losses, stemming from breaches of their privacy, disclosure of personal or professional information, manipulation, or theft of their financial or tax-related data. For example, a journalist might lose their job or credibility due to information revealed by Pegasus; a lawyer could lose a lawsuit or a client due to a disclosed strategy, and an activist might lose funding or security due to an exposed campaign.
  • Cost to Businesses: Companies targeted by Pegasus may face direct or indirect financial losses related to intellectual property violation, unfair competition, industrial espionage, corruption, and more. For instance, a business could lose a contract or market share because of exposed bids; its reputation and trustworthiness could suffer due to a Pegasus-related scandal, and its competitiveness and profitability could diminish from a compromised trade secret.
  • Cost to States: Nations subject to Pegasus espionage may experience direct or indirect financial losses tied to sovereignty violations, threats to national security, interference in domestic and foreign affairs, among others. An example includes a country’s stability or legitimacy being jeopardized due to a Pegasus-facilitated coup; a nation losing influence or alliances because of negotiations undermined by Pegasus; or a state’s development or environment suffering from a Pegasus-sabotaged project.

Geopolitical Cost

The geopolitical cost of Pegasus-induced damages can be measured on various fronts:

  • Cost to International Relations: The use of Pegasus by some states to spy on others can lead to diplomatic tensions, armed conflicts, economic sanctions, and cooperation ruptures. For example, the espionage of French President Emmanuel Macron by Morocco triggered a crisis between the two nations; spying on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi by China escalated their border dispute, and Israeli espionage of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani compromised the nuclear agreement between the two countries.
  • Cost to International Organizations: Pegasus’ deployment by certain states to spy on international organizations can result in violations of international law, human rights abuses, and hindrances to multilateralism. For instance, spying on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by the United States undermined the organization’s independence and impartiality. Similarly, espionage targeting the International Criminal Court by Israel threatened international justice and peace, while spying on the World Health Organization by China disrupted pandemic management.

Economic Cost

The economic cost of the damages caused by Pegasus can be assessed across different dimensions:

  • Cost to Economic Growth: The use of Pegasus by certain states or private actors to spy on other states or private actors can lead to market distortions, productivity losses, capital flight, and offshoring. For example, the espionage targeting the airline company Emirates by Qatar reduced its competitiveness and profitability. Similarly, spying on the oil company Petrobras by the United States triggered an economic and political crisis in Brazil. Additionally, spying on Mexico’s central bank by Venezuela facilitated money laundering and terrorism financing.
  • Cost to Innovation: The utilization of Pegasus by certain states or private actors to spy on other states or private actors can result in patent theft, counterfeiting, hacking, and cyberattacks. For instance, spying on pharmaceutical company Pfizer by China allowed the latter to replicate its COVID-19 vaccine. Simultaneously, espionage against technology giant Apple by North Korea enabled the creation of its smartphone. Furthermore, spying on space company SpaceX by Russia allowed the latter to sabotage its launches.

Human, Social, and Environmental Cost

The human, social, and environmental cost of Pegasus-induced damages can be measured across several aspects:

  • Cost to Human Rights: The use of Pegasus by certain states or private actors to spy on vulnerable individuals or groups can result in violations of the right to life, freedom, security, dignity, and more. For example, the spying on journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabia led to his assassination. Similarly, espionage targeting activist Edward Snowden by the United States led to his exile. Additionally, the espionage of dissident Alexei Navalny by Russia resulted in his poisoning.
  • Cost to Democracy: The deployment of Pegasus by certain states or private actors to spy on political or social actors can lead to infringements on pluralism, transparency, participation, representativeness, and more. For instance, spying on French President Emmanuel Macron by Russia attempted to influence the 2017 French presidential election. Similarly, spying on the Yellow Vest movement by Morocco aimed to weaken the French social movement in 2018. Additionally, espionage against President Joe Biden by Iran sought to infiltrate his transition team in 2020.
  • Cost to the Environment: The use of Pegasus by certain states or private actors to spy on organizations or individuals committed to environmental protection can result in damage to biodiversity, climate, natural resources, and more. For example, spying on Greenpeace by Japan hindered its efforts against whale hunting. Similarly, espionage against the WWF by Brazil facilitated deforestation in the Amazon. Additionally, the spying on climate activist Greta Thunberg by Russia aimed to discredit her climate movement.
  • Cost to Intangibles: The use of Pegasus by certain states or private actors to spy on individuals or groups with symbolic, cultural, moral, or spiritual value can result in losses of meaning, trust, hope, or faith. For instance, espionage against Pope Francis by Turkey undermined his moral and religious authority. Similarly, spying on the Dalai Lama by China compromised his spiritual and political status. Additionally, the espionage of Nelson Mandela by South Africa tarnished his historical and humanitarian legacy.

The Risk of Diplomatic Conflict Arising from Pegasus

The utilization of Pegasus by some states to spy on others can give rise to the risk of diplomatic conflict, which can have severe consequences for international peace and security. The likelihood of diplomatic conflict depends on several factors, including:

  • Intensity and Duration of Espionage: The more extensive and prolonged the espionage, the more likely it is to provoke a strong and lasting reaction from the spied-upon state.
  • Nature and Status of Targets: More important and sensitive targets are more likely to trigger a strong and immediate reaction from the spied-upon state. For instance, spying on a head of state or a minister is more serious than spying on a bureaucrat or diplomat.
  • Relationship and Context Between States: States with tense or conflictual relationships are more likely to provoke a strong and hostile reaction from the spied-upon state. For instance, espionage between rival or enemy states is more serious than espionage between allied or neutral states.

The risk of diplomatic conflict can manifest at various levels:

  • Bilateral Level: This is the most direct and frequent level, where two states clash due to espionage. Possible reactions include official protests, summoning or expelling an ambassador, breaking or freezing diplomatic relations, etc.
  • Regional Level: This level involves a state seeking support from its neighbors or regional partners to bolster its position or condemn the espionage. Possible reactions include joint declarations, collective resolutions, economic or political sanctions, etc.
  • International Level: At this level, a state calls upon international organizations or global actors to support its position or condemn the espionage. Possible reactions include referring the matter to an international court, resolutions by the UN Security Council, humanitarian or military sanctions, etc.

The risk of diplomatic conflict can have various consequences:

  • Political Consequences: It can lead to a deterioration or rupture of relations between the involved states, a loss of credibility or legitimacy on the international stage, internal political instability or crisis, etc.
  • Economic Consequences: It can result in reduced or suspended trade between the involved states, a loss of competitiveness or growth, capital flight or frozen investments, etc.
  • Social Consequences: It can lead to increased or exacerbated tensions or violence among the populations of the involved states, a loss of trust or solidarity, a rise or reinforcement of nationalism or extremism, etc.

Conclusion: Navigating the Pegasus Quagmire with Innovative Defenses

The saga of Pegasus spyware unveils a complex tableau of financial, human, social, political, and environmental ramifications. Pinpointing the exact toll it takes presents a formidable challenge, given the myriad of factors at play. Throughout this article, we’ve endeavored to shed light on the extensive impacts, offering insights and quantifications to bring clarity to this global concern.

Moreover, Pegasus not only incurs a direct cost but also sows the seeds of potential diplomatic strife, pitting states against each other in an invisible battlefield. The severity of these confrontations hinges on the espionage’s scope, the targets’ sensitivity, and the intricate web of international relations. Such conflicts, manifesting across various levels, can significantly strain political ties, disrupt economies, and fracture societies.

In this digital quagmire, the innovative counter-espionage technologies developed by Freemindtronic emerge as a beacon of hope. They offer a testament to the power of leveraging cutting-edge solutions to fortify our digital defenses against the invasive reach of spyware like Pegasus. By integrating such advanced protective measures, individuals and organizations can significantly enhance their cybersecurity posture, safeguarding their most sensitive data and communications in an increasingly surveilled world.

This piece aims to illuminate the shadowy dynamics of Pegasus spyware, drawing back the curtain on its profound implications. For those keen to explore further, we invite you to consult the sources listed below. They serve as gateways to a deeper understanding of Pegasus’s pervasive influence, the ongoing efforts to counteract its invasive reach, and the pivotal role of technologies like those from Freemindtronic in these endeavors.

In a world where digital surveillance perpetually evolves, staying informed, vigilant, and equipped with the latest in counter-espionage technology is paramount. As we navigate these challenges, let us engage in ongoing dialogue, advocate for stringent regulatory measures, and champion the development of robust cybersecurity defenses. Together, we can confront the challenges posed by Pegasus and similar technologies, safeguarding our collective privacy, security, and democratic values in the digital age.

Sources

In crafting this article, we have drawn upon a selection of reputable and verified web sources. Our sources are chosen for their commitment to presenting facts objectively and respecting the presumption of innocence.

This article has been meticulously crafted, drawing upon a diverse array of reputable and verified web sources. These sources have been selected for their unwavering commitment to factual accuracy, objective presentation, and respect for the presumption of innocence. Our investigation delves deep into the complex web of surveillance technology, focusing on the notorious Pegasus spyware developed by NSO Group and the global efforts to detect, regulate, and mitigate its invasive reach. The article sheds light on groundbreaking detection methods, international policy measures against spyware misuse, and the pressing need for enhanced cybersecurity practices.

We analyzed many sources including:

In summary

Additional references from a range of international publications provide further insights into the deployment, implications, and countermeasures associated with Pegasus spyware across various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Hungary, India, and the United Arab Emirates. These articles collectively highlight the global challenge posed by Pegasus, the evolving landscape of digital espionage, and the concerted efforts required to safeguard privacy and security in the digital age.

Estimating the Global Reach and Financial Implications of Pegasus Spyware

The deployment of Pegasus spyware across various nations reveals not only the extensive reach of NSO Group’s surveillance tool but also underscores the significant financial and ethical costs associated with its use. The following insights, derived from reputable news sources, offer a glimpse into the scale of Pegasus’s deployment worldwide and its impact on targeted countries:

  1. According to the French Le Monde, Saudi Arabia targeted about 15,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The cost of one license can be as high as Rs 70 lakh. With one license, multiple smartphones can be tracked. As per past estimates of 2016, for spying on just 10 people using Pegasus, NSO Group charges a minimum of around Rs 9 crore.
  2. The American The Washington Post reported that Saudi Arabia started using Pegasus in 2018. The FBI also confirmed that it obtained NSO Group’s powerful Pegasus spyware in 2019, suggesting that it bought access to the Israeli surveillance tool to “stay abreast of emerging technologies and tradecraft”.
  3. The British The Guardian stated that Azerbaijan aimed at about 5,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country is among the 10 governments that have been the most aggressive in deploying the spyware against their own citizens and those of other countries.
  4. As per the American The Washington Post, Azerbaijan began using Pegasus in 2019. The country has been accused of using the spyware to target journalists, activists, and opposition figures, as well as foreign diplomats and politicians.
  5. In the case reported by the French Le Monde, Bahrain focused on about 3,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country has been using the spyware since 2020 to target dissidents, human rights defenders, and members of the royal family.
  6. Mentioned in the American The Washington Post, Bahrain initiated Pegasus use in 2020. The country is one of the NSO Group’s oldest customers, having signed a contract with the company in 2016.
  7. As disclosed by the British The Guardian, Kazakhstan directed attention towards approximately 1,500 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country has been using the spyware since 2021 to target journalists, activists, and opposition figures, as well as foreign diplomats and politicians.
  8. According to the American The Washington Post, Kazakhstan commenced Pegasus usage in 2021. The country is one of the newest customers of NSO Group, having signed a contract with the company in 2020.
  9. According to claims made by the Mexican Aristegui Noticias, Mexico targeted about 15,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country is the largest known client of NSO Group, having spent at least $61m on the spyware between 2011 and 2017.
  10. As reported by the American The Washington Post, Mexico began Pegasus use in 2020. The country has been using the spyware to target journalists, activists, lawyers, and politicians, as well as the relatives of the 43 students who disappeared in 2014.
  11. As detailed in the French Le Monde, Morocco focused on about 10,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country is one of the most prolific users of the spyware, having targeted journalists, activists, lawyers, and politicians, as well as foreign heads of state and government.
  12. Confirmed by the Canadian organization Citizen Lab, Morocco initiated Pegasus usage in 2016. The country is one of the oldest customers of NSO Group, having signed a contract with the company in 2014.
  13. According to findings reported by the British The Guardian, Rwanda honed in on around 3,500 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country has been using the spyware to target dissidents, journalists, and human rights defenders, as well as foreign critics and rivals.
  14. As indicated by the American The Washington Post, Rwanda started Pegasus usage in 2019. The country is one of the newest customers of NSO Group, having signed a contract with the company in 2018.
  15. In the report from the French Le Monde, Hungary aimed at about 300 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country is the only EU member state known to have used the spyware, having targeted journalists, activists, lawyers, and opposition figures.
  16. As conveyed by the Hungarian Direkt36, Hungary initiated Pegasus use in 2018. The country is one of the newest customers of NSO Group, having signed a contract with the company in 2017.
  17. As outlined in the Indian The Wire, India directed attention towards approximately 1,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country is one of the largest users of the spyware, having targeted journalists, activists, lawyers, and politicians, as well as the leader of the main opposition party.
  18. According to the British The Guardian, India began Pegasus use in 2019. The country is one of the newest customers of NSO Group, having signed a contract with the company in 2018.
  19. According to the information provided by the French Le Monde, the United Arab Emirates honed in on around 10,000 phone numbers with Pegasus. The country is one of the most aggressive users of the spyware, having targeted journalists, activists, lawyers, and politicians, as well as foreign heads of state and government.
  20. Confirmed by the Canadian organization Citizen Lab, the United Arab Emirates started Pegasus usage in 2016. The country is one of the oldest customers of NSO Group, having signed a contract with the company in 2013.
  21. According to the European Parliament recommendation of 15 June 2023, the EU and its Member States have been affected by the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware, which constitutes a serious threat to the rule of law, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms. The recommendation calls for a global moratorium on the sale and use of such technologies until robust safeguards are established.
  22. According to the article by Malwarebytes, Pegasus spyware and how it exploited a WebP vulnerability, the spyware exploited a vulnerability in the WebP image format, which allows for lossless compression and restoration of pixels. The article explains how the attackers created specially crafted image files that caused a buffer overflow in the libwebp library, used by several programs and browsers to support the WebP format.
  23. According to the article by ZDNet, ‘Lawful intercept’ Pegasus spyware found deployed in 45 countries, the spyware has been used by government agencies across the world to conduct cross-border surveillance, violating international law and human rights. The article cites a report by Citizen Lab, which identified 45 countries where Pegasus operators may be conducting surveillance operations.
  24. According to the article by The Guardian, Experts warn of new spyware threat targeting journalists and political opponents, a new spyware with hacking capabilities comparable to Pegasus has emerged, developed by an Israeli company called Candiru. The article cites a report by Citizen Lab, which found evidence that the spyware has been used to target journalists, political opposition figures and an employee of an NGO.
Articles, Digital Security

Chinese hackers Cisco routers: how to protect yourself?

Posted on by FMTAD
Hackers Chinois Cisco Routers
04
Oct
Chinese hackers Cisco routers by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.

Hackers Chinois Cisco Routers

Hackers of Chinese origin modify the firmware of Cisco routers to break into corporate networks. Discover how Freemindtronic offers you efficient and secure encryption solutions.

How Chinese hackers infiltrate corporate networks via Cisco routers

A Chinese-backed hacker group, known as BlackTech, has managed to compromise corporate networks around the world by exploiting vulnerabilities in Cisco routers. The hackers have modified the firmware of the routers to install backdoors that allow them to access sensitive data, redirect traffic to malicious servers and hide their tracks.

How does BlackTech operate?

According to a joint report by several cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies in the US and Japan, including the FBI, the NSA and the NISC, BlackTech has been active since at least 2010 and targets mainly sectors such as administration, industry, technology, media, telecommunications and defense. The group first attacks the international subsidiaries of the companies before moving up to the headquarters in the US and Japan.

To get into the networks, BlackTech uses custom malware, dual-use tools and masking tactics, such as disabling logging on the routers, to avoid being detected.

The key point of the attack is the modification of the firmware of the Cisco routers, the embedded software that controls the operation of the devices. BlackTech replaces the official firmware with a corrupted version that contains a backdoor. This backdoor allows the hackers to connect to the router at any time, change its configuration, execute commands and redirect traffic to their servers.

What are the risks and consequences of the attack of the Chinese hackers Cisco routers who use malicious firmware?

The attack by BlackTech poses a serious threat to the security of the targeted companies and organizations. Indeed, the hackers can access confidential information, such as trade secrets, personal data or strategic documents. They can also disrupt the operation of the networks, by causing outages, slowdowns or errors. Finally, they can use the compromised networks as relays to launch other attacks or to spread malware.

The report by the cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies recommends the companies to check the integrity of their Cisco routers, update their firmware, strengthen their security measures and monitor their network traffic. The report also suggests adopting a zero trust security model, which consists of trusting no element of the network and systematically verifying the identity and permissions of the users and devices.

What are the motivations and objectives of BlackTech?

BlackTech is considered as a cyberespionage group backed by China. Its motivations and objectives are therefore probably related to the political, economic and military interests of Beijing. The group seeks to collect information useful for China, to weaken its competitors and adversaries, and to strengthen its influence and power in the world.

BlackTech is not the only Chinese hacker group to target corporate networks. Other groups, such as APT10, APT41 or Winnti, have been identified by cybersecurity experts as actors of cyberespionage on behalf of China. These groups use various techniques, such as phishing, certificate theft or software vulnerabilities, to infiltrate the networks and steal data.

China denies any involvement in these cyberespionage activities and accuses the US of conducting cyberattacks against it. The tensions between the two countries are high on the diplomatic, trade and technological fronts. Cyberwar is one of the strategic challenges of the 21st century.

What are the vulnerabilities exploited by BlackTech?

The report by the cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies does not specify which are the exact vulnerabilities exploited by BlackTech to modify the firmware of the Cisco routers. However, there are several known flaws that affect the routers of the American brand and that could be used by the hackers.

For example, in 2019, Cisco published a security bulletin to warn its customers of a critical vulnerability in the Secure Boot protocol of some of its routers. This vulnerability, named Thrangrycat, allows an attacker with physical or logical access to the router to modify the firmware and install persistent malicious code.

In 2020, Cisco also revealed the existence of a vulnerability in the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) network management protocol of some of its routers. This vulnerability, named CDPwn, allows an attacker located on the same local network as the router to send malformed packets and cause remote code execution.

Another recent example, chinese hackers Cisco routers exploit F5 BIG-IP vulnerability A state-backed hacking group from China, known as BlackTech (September 2023), modifies the firmware of Cisco routers (not directly affected by the vulnerability) to gain access to the networks of US and Japanese companies. The hackers exploit a critical vulnerability (CVE-2022-1388) in F5 BIG-IP devices that allows them to execute arbitrary commands and install a backdoor. Cisco has released a security alert for its customers who use F5 BIG-IP devices in their infrastructure and recommends them to follow the instructions of F5 to apply the patch or the mitigation measures (Cisco Security Advisory). F5 has released a patch for this vulnerability (K23605346) for all affected versions, except 12.1.x and 11.6.x versions, which are end of life. Users and administrators are urged to apply the patch as soon as possible to prevent malicious cyber operations.

These two examples show that Cisco routers are not immune to security flaws that can be exploited by malicious hackers. It is therefore essential for companies to stay informed of security updates and apply them quickly to protect their networks.

The global attack of the Chinese hackers Cisco routers: what is its scope and impact?

It is difficult to assess the scope and impact of this attack at the global level, as the victims are not always aware or willing to reveal that they have been compromised. Nevertheless, it is possible to rely on some clues to get an idea.

According to the report by the cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies, BlackTech has targeted companies and organizations located in several countries, including the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Israel, India, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

This shows that BlackTech has a global reach and can potentially affect thousands of companies and organizations in various fields. The impact of this attack can be considerable, both economically and security-wise. The hackers can steal strategic information, disrupt essential services, compromise critical infrastructures, harm the reputation of the victims, cause financial damage, or facilitate other forms of cybercrime, such as ransomware, identity theft, fraud, espionage or sabotage.

According to a study by the consulting firm Accenture, the average cost of a cyberattack for a company is 13 million dollars, an increase of 72% since 2014. The study also estimates that cyberattacks have a negative impact on customer trust, employee retention, product and service quality, and operational performance of companies.

Moreover, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the company McAfee, the global cost of cybercrime for the world economy is 600 billion dollars per year, or 0.8% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). The report highlights that cybercrime affects not only companies, but also governments, citizens, non-governmental organizations, and international institutions.

How to protect yourself with Freemindtronic’s technologies?

Among the solutions available on the market to protect against attacks by BlackTech or other hacker groups are innovative products developed by the Andorran company Freemindtronic, which use its NFC HSM and HSM OpenPGP technologies to secure sensitive data and encryption keys. These products are:

  • EviCore NFC HSM, which turns your smartphone, tablet or computer into a hardware security module (HSM) compatible with the OpenPGP standard. It allows you to store, manage and use your encryption keys and secrets with ease and confidentiality, without using a specific secure storage device.
  • EviCore HSM OpenPGP, which turns your smartphone, tablet or computer into a hardware security module (HSM) compatible with the OpenPGP standard. It allows you to store, manage and use your encryption keys and secrets with ease and confidentiality, without using a specific secure storage device. EviCore HSM OpenPGP is an innovation by Freemindtronic that received the Fortress 2023 award for the best encryption solution.
  • EviPass NFC HSM, which allows you to manage your passwords and identifiers in a secure and convenient way. It uses NFC technology to communicate with your smartphone, tablet or computer, and to authenticate you on websites and applications without having to enter or remember your passwords.
  • EviOTP NFC HSM, which allows you to generate one-time passwords (OTP) to enhance the security of your online accounts. It uses NFC technology to communicate with your smartphone, tablet or computer, and to provide you with a 6-digit code whenever you need it.
  • EviCypher NFC HSM, which allows you to encrypt and decrypt your sensitive data with a high level of security. It uses NFC technology to communicate with your smartphone, tablet or computer, and to allow you to encrypt and decrypt your files, messages, emails or notes with a simple gesture.

These technologies can have several benefits for businesses that face the attacks of BlackTech or other hacker groups, by offering enhanced protection of data and encryption keys, as well as strong and convenient authentication. They can also reduce the risks of loss, theft or corruption of data, by using resistant and reliable devices.

Update Cisco Router 2023 clic here

Articles, Digital Security

ZenRAT: The malware that hides in Bitwarden and escapes antivirus software

Posted on by FMTAD
ZenRAT The-malware-that hides in Bitwarden-and escapes antivirus-software edit by freemindtronic from Andorra
27
Sep
ZenRAT Malware  by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.

***

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How this malware hides in Bitwarden and escapes antivirus software to steal your information

ZenRAT is a new malicious software that targets Windows users and hides in fake installation packages of Bitwarden, a popular and secure password manager. This remote access trojan (RAT) was discovered by Proofpoint, a company specialized in cybersecurity. ZenRAT aims to steal sensitive information from users, such as their credentials, passwords, IP addresses or browser data.

How does ZenRAT hide in Bitwarden?

ZenRAT uses a social engineering technique to trick users and make them download a fake installation package of Bitwarden. The malicious website that hosts the file looks very similar to the official Bitwarden website, but it uses a different domain name. The downloaded file contains an executable named ZenRAT, which installs discreetly on the victim’s computer and starts collecting and sending their personal information to a command and control server.

ZenRAT hides in Bitwarden to take advantage of its popularity and credibility, as it is used by millions of users worldwide. By imitating the website and logo of Bitwarden, ZenRAT hopes to attract users who are looking for downloading or updating this software, and to convince them that they are on the official website. Thus, ZenRAT can induce users to install the malicious file without suspicion.

This identity theft technique is commonly used by cybercriminals to spread malware under the guise of legitimate applications. Users should therefore be careful to only download software from a reliable source, and to check the domain name of the website. They should also be wary of advertisements in search engine results, which can be a major vector of infection.

What are the technical means used by ZenRAT to achieve its goals and protect itself?

ZenRAT uses several technical means to achieve its goals and protect itself from protection systems. Among these means, we can mention:

  • Encryption: It encrypts the data it steals and sends to the command and control server, using an AES algorithm with a randomly generated key. Thus, ZenRAT makes it harder to detect and analyze its network traffic by antivirus or firewall software.
  • Polymorphism: ZenRAT changes its appearance and behavior regularly, using techniques such as packing, obfuscation or mutation. Thus, ZenRAT escapes the static signatures of antivirus or intrusion detection software.
  • Geofencing: It checks the geographical location of the infected computer, using the IP address or browser data. If the computer is located in an area that does not interest the hacker, such as Russia or China, ZenRAT stops and uninstalls itself. Thus, ZenRAT reduces the risk of being discovered or analyzed by security researchers.
  • Anti-virtualization: ZenRAT detects if the infected computer is a virtual machine or a sandbox, using indicators such as the name of the CPU, GPU, RAM or hard disk. If so, ZenRAT stops and uninstalls itself. Thus, ZenRAT avoids being studied or neutralized by security experts.
  • QR codes: Malware Rat uses QR codes to communicate with its command and control server, using a dedicated mobile application. Thus, ZenRAT bypasses network filters or proxies that could block its traffic. The QR codes contain encrypted and compressed data, which are decoded and executed by the malware on the infected computer.
  • Password generator: ZenRAT uses a password generator to create random and strong passwords, which it uses to access online accounts of users. Thus, ZenRAT increases its chances of succeeding in brute force or dictionary attacks, and makes it more difficult for users to change or reset their passwords.

These technical means show that ZenRAT is a sophisticated and adaptable malware, which can circumvent or resist various forms of defense. They also testify to the malicious intent of the hacker, who seeks to maximize his impact and minimize his traceability.

Why is RAT a serious threat?

ZenRAT is a serious threat for the security and privacy of Internet users, because it steals personal and confidential information, which can be used to access sensitive services, identify and track users, analyze their habits and preferences, or inject malicious advertisements or spyware. It uses various technical means to spread and hide itself, and it escapes antivirus and security software.

ZenRAT has not yet been widely studied or detected by antivirus or security software. According to Proofpoint, the detection rate of the malicious file on VirusTotal was less than 10% at the time of their analysis. Other sources confirm that ZenRAT is a little-known and rare malware. It is therefore important to be vigilant and only download software from a reliable source, checking the domain name of the website.

ZenRAT is also a malware that specifically targets Windows users, who represent the majority of operating systems in the world. According to StatCounter, Windows had a market share of 72% in September 2023. This means that ZenRAT can potentially infect more than a billion Windows computers worldwide. Moreover, ZenRAT attacks Bitwarden users, a password manager that has more than 25 million users worldwide. By stealing their passwords, ZenRAT can access their online accounts and compromise their security.

Here is a summary table of the main characteristics of ZenRAT:

Attribute Details
Name ZenRAT
Type Remote Access Trojan (RAT)
Platform Windows
Infection Method Fake Bitwarden installation packages
Objective Steal sensitive user information
Technical Means Encryption, polymorphism, geofencing, anti-virtualization, QR codes, password generator
Detection Rate Below 10% on VirusTotal
Main Source Proofpoint1
Associated Threats Typosquatting, phishing, credential theft
Targeted Service Bitwarden password manager
Date of Discovery August 2023
Malicious Email Campaigns Several, targeting organizations across various sectors
Associated Malicious Domains bitwariden[.]com, crazygameis[.]com, obsproject[.]com, geogebraa[.]com
Dedicated Mobile Application ZenRAT Scanner
Fake Installers Bitwarden-Installer-version-2023-7-1.exe, CertificateUpdate-version1-102-90
Signed by Falsely claimed to be signed by Tim Kosse
Copy of Executable Location ApplicationRuntimeMonitor.exe stored in C:Users[username]AppDataRoamingRuntime Monitor
Collected Data CPU Name, GPU Name, OS Version, Installed RAM, IP Address & Gateway, Installed Antivirus, Installed Applications
C2 Communication Server IP: 185[.]186.72.14. Custom C2 protocol used
Unique Features Checks: IsBlockedRegion, IsMutex, IsSmallDisk, IsDetectVM. Logs sent in plain text to C2 server
Indicators of Compromise Several IP addresses and domains, as well as a list of SHA256 for associated files

ZenRAT is therefore a malicious software that attacks strategically Windows operating systems, hiding in fake installation packages of Bitwarden. It uses various technical means to spread and hide itself, and aims to steal sensitive information from users. It represents a serious threat for the security and privacy of Internet users.

Articles, Crypto Currency, Digital Security, EviSeed, EviVault Technology, News

Enhancing Crypto Wallet Security: How EviSeed and EviVault Could Have Prevented the $41M Crypto Heist

Posted on by FMTAD
Crypto Wallet Security enhancing crypto wallet security how EviSeed and EviVault could have prevented the $41m crypto Heist crypto Lazarus APT38 BNP MATIC Heist
11
Sep

Crypto Wallet Security by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.  

How EviSeed and EviVault Could Thwart a $41 Million Crypto Heist

Imagine waking up one day to discover that your crypto wallet has been hacked. As a result, all your funds are gone. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to more than 50,000 StakeCube users who were staking cryptocurrencies. They lost a massive $41 million in a cyberattack by North Korean hackers. In this article, we will demonstrate how EviSeed and EviVault technologies, developed by Freemindtronic, could have thwarted this theft.

EviSeed and EviVault NFC HSM Technologies could have prevented the $41 million crypto theft by North Korean hackers.

Cryptocurrencies have gained immense popularity, but they have also become increasingly vulnerable to theft. Hackers actively search for vulnerabilities in cryptocurrency storage and exchange platforms, leading to them stealing millions of dollars from users. North Korean hackers recently stole $41 million from the Stake platform, resulting in a high-profile case. In this article, we explore how EviSeed and EviVault NFC HSM technologies could have prevented this theft.

The Significance of Mnemonic Phrases and Private Keys

Before delving into the advantages offered by EviSeed and EviVault, let’s first understand the significance of mnemonic phrases and private keys in cryptocurrency wallet security.

Understanding Mnemonic Phrases and Private Keys’ Role in Cryptocurrency Wallet Security

A mnemonic phrase consists of words used to generate and restore your private key, granting access to your cryptocurrency wallet and enabling transactions.Typically composed of 12, 18, or 24 words selected from a standardized list known as BIP39, a mnemonic phrase might look like:

apple, banana, lemon, orange, strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, mango, melon, watermelon, cherry, plum.

This mnemonic phrase is of utmost importance as it represents the sole means of recovering your cryptocurrency wallet in case of loss or theft of the storage device (e.g., smartphone, computer, USB key). Users must meticulously back it up and should never share it with anyone.

A private key, on the other hand, consists of a sequence of numbers and letters corresponding to the mnemonic phrase. It is employed for signing transactions and confirming ownership of the cryptocurrency wallet. A private key example is:

Securing Cryptocurrency Wallets

Now that we’ve examined the importance of mnemonic phrases and private keys, let’s discuss the risks associated with traditional backup methods and how EviSeed and EviVault technologies provide enhanced security solutions.

The Risks of Traditional Backup Methods for Mnemonic Phrases and Private Keys

Nevertheless, these methods have several drawbacks when it comes to cryptocurrency wallet security. Most cryptocurrency users choose to back up their mnemonic phrases and private keys using paper or metal media:

  • Impracticality: Manually writing or engraving mnemonic phrases and private keys can be tedious and prone to errors.
  • Inefficiency: Retrieving a cryptocurrency wallet or making transactions requires typing or memorizing the mnemonic phrase and private key, which can be time-consuming and cumbersome.
  • Lack of Durability: Paper and metal supports degrade over time, can be lost, damaged, or susceptible to environmental factors like fire, water, and physical harm.
  • Vulnerability: Physical and logical attacks are potential risks. For instance, if someone finds the support containing the mnemonic phrase and private key, they can access the cryptocurrency wallet and transfer funds to another address. If the support is connected to the internet, it can be infected with malware capable of stealing the mnemonic phrase and private key.

Why is Crypto Wallet Security Important?

Crypto wallet security involves protecting your crypto assets from unauthorized access, theft, or loss. Crypto wallet security involves two main components: your mnemonic phrase and your private key. Your mnemonic phrase is a sequence of words that is used to generate and restore your private key, which is the key that allows you to access your crypto wallet and make transactions. The mnemonic phrase and the private key are very important, because they are the only way to recover your crypto wallet in case of loss or theft of the support on which it is stored (smartphone, computer, USB key, etc.). You must therefore backup them carefully and never disclose them to anyone.

Crypto wallet security is important because cryptocurrencies are valuable and vulnerable to attacks. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in platforms storing and exchanging cryptocurrencies, employ phishing, malware, or social engineering to deceive users into disclosing their mnemonic phrases or private keys. If hackers get access to these keys, they can transfer the funds to their own addresses and make them untraceable. Therefore, you need to choose reliable and secure backup solutions for your mnemonic phrases and private keys, such as EviSeed and EviVault.

Enhancing Crypto Wallet Security with EviSeed

Now let’s find out how EviSeed technology enhances the security of the crypto wallet. It offers a secure alternative to traditional backup methods.

Simplicity and Automation for Enhanced Crypto Wallet Security

EviSeed simplifies crypto wallet creation, completing all tasks within seconds. It efficiently manages and encrypts mnemonic phrases and their corresponding private keys within the NFC HSM. This automation extends to generating public keys and addresses, ensuring robust Crypto Wallet Security. Importantly, this process occurs offline, shielding sensitive data from exposure. Users can effortlessly monitor their balances using their paired Android NFC smartphones.

Rigorous Security Measures: Protecting Your Crypto Wallet Security

EviSeed employs cutting-edge AES-256 post-quantum encryption in conjunction with key segmentation. Even if malicious actors gain physical access to the NFC HSM, decrypting the mnemonic phrase remains an insurmountable challenge without access to encryption keys and corresponding segments. The device features five segmented encryption keys, bolstered by up to four additional authentication criteria for each wallet, significantly enhancing Crypto Wallet Security. These criteria encompass geographic zones, fingerprints, BSSIDs (Wi-Fi network identifiers), and UIDs of paired Android NFC smartphones.

Multi-Layered Protection: Safeguarding Your Crypto Wallet Security

Access to the NFC HSM is exclusively possible via the Freemindtronic application, seamlessly integrating EviSeed technology for added security, reinforcing your Crypto Wallet Security. In the unlikely event of theft, attackers would require knowledge of all unique authentication criteria to decrypt the private key. Moreover, EviSeed generates an encrypted QR code containing your mnemonic phrase. This QR code can be printed, shared, sent, or used for backup between NFC HSMs, employing RSA 4096 encryption, further enhancing your Crypto Wallet Security. EviSeed also enables hassle-free crypto wallet creation, including an automatic backup of BIP39 seed phrases within NFC HSMs, alongside your private key. The technology effortlessly generates public keys and addresses, allowing you to conduct operations securely, all while maintaining the confidentiality of your seed phrase and private key.

Unmatched Durability for Uncompromising Crypto Wallet Security

NFC HSM devices used by EviSeed are engineered for resilience, with military-grade coatings that protect against water, extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to +120°C, shocks, and scratches. These devices boast an impressive lifespan, powered by energy recovery from the paired Android smartphone’s NFC signal, ensuring long-term Crypto Wallet Security.

By integrating EviSeed NFC HSM technology into their crypto security strategy, users can significantly bolster the safety of their assets, mitigating the vulnerabilities associated with conventional backup methods, and fortifying their Crypto Wallet Security.

How EviVault NFC HSM Enhances Crypto Wallet Security

Now, let’s explore the remarkable capabilities of EviVault NFC HSM and how it elevates crypto wallet security to unprecedented levels.

A Distinctive Approach to Safeguarding Crypto Wallets

EviVault NFC HSM stands apart as a distinct technology from EviSeed NFC HSM. Its primary objective is to secure cryptocurrency-derived private keys physically and offline, all within a lightning-fast process of fewer than four seconds. This is achieved by scanning the QR code of the derived private key, ensuring swift and robust Crypto Wallet Security.

Error-free backup and storage

EviVault simplifies the process further by allowing users to securely record the BIP39-generated recovery phrase, and automatically store it encrypted in an NFC HSM. The user can easily select without using the keyboard assisted by automatic error control system. This has the effect of further strengthening the security of the cryptographic wallet by preventing the backup process in case of error. Thus, all these protection mechanisms are airtight to physical, logical or online threats.

Streamlined Security for Crypto Wallets

EviVault introduces a series of advantages over conventional methods that enhance Crypto Wallet Security comprehensively:

  • Simplicity: Users no longer need to manually enter the derived private key. The cumbersome practice of writing, engraving, or copying private keys in plain text, which can be susceptible to malicious third parties, becomes obsolete. Instead, users can swiftly scan the encrypted QR code of the derived private key, created by EviSeed technology, and store it securely within an EviVault NFC HSM in under four seconds.
  • Efficiency: Gone are the days of memorizing or typing private keys, or risking exposure by storing them in unencrypted forms. By merely passing their Android NFC smartphone paired with the NFC HSM under the NFC antenna, users can view the private key or its compressed/uncompressed public address. The technology even allows for secure sharing of private keys and encrypted public addresses via a pair of RSA 4096 keys, all without exposing sensitive data to the user’s phone or computer.
  • Durability: EviVault stands out with its robust design, devoid of connectors, screens, batteries, buttons, or any other wear-prone components. It offers a lifetime of service, powered by energy recovery from the paired Android smartphone’s NFC signal. Furthermore, EviVault NFC HSM devices, like their EviSeed counterparts, exhibit resistance to water, extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to +120°C, shocks, and scratches, thanks to a military-grade component coating, ensuring top-tier Crypto Wallet Security in harsh environments.
  • Unyielding Security Measures: EviVault incorporates EviCore NFC HSM technology, featuring post-quantum AES-256 encryption and advanced key segmentation. Even if potential attackers gain physical access to the NFC card, decrypting the private key remains an insurmountable task without access to the encryption keys and corresponding segments, each exceeding 256 bits in complexity. Additionally, users can bolster Crypto Wallet Security by adding up to four segmented authentication criteria for each wallet, including geographical zones, fingerprints, BSSIDs (Wi-Fi network identifiers), or UIDs of paired Android NFC smartphones. Access to the NFC card remains exclusive through the Freemindtronic application, which incorporates EviVault technology, fortifying Crypto Wallet Security with an additional layer of protection.

Incorporating EviSeed or EviVault NFC HSM technology into their crypto security strategy empowers cryptocurrency users to elevate the security of their holdings significantly. These technologies not only eliminate vulnerabilities associated with conventional backup methods but also provide formidable protection against both physical and digital threats, ensuring unparalleled Crypto Wallet Security in today’s dynamic digital landscape.

Summary of Enhanced Cryptocurrency Security

The Crucial Role of Crypto Wallet Security

In summary, EviSeed and EviVault NFC HSM technologies offer innovative solutions to enhance cryptocurrency wallet security, safeguarding digital assets from physical and digital threats.

Protecting Your Investments

Given the increasing adoption of cryptocurrencies, it’s essential to invest in secure storage solutions such as EviSeed and EviVault for effective investment protection.

How a Flaw in the Unencrypted Private Key Backup System Allowed the North Korean Hackers to Steal $41 Million in Crypto from StakeCube and How EviSeed and EviVault Could Have Prevented It

March 2023 witnessed a group of North Korean hackers, Lazarus, or APT38. They stole $41 million in cryptocurrencies from StakeCube, an online casino and betting platform. These hackers took advantage of a flaw in the backup system; it stored unencrypted private keys on a centralized and insecure server. These attackers copied the private keys of more than 50,000 users from the server. Subsequently, they transferred the funds to their own addresses using these keys. These attackers evaded detection for several months with great organization and methodology. These attackers also concealed and laundered the stolen funds to make them hard to trace.

This incident emphasizes the significance of cryptocurrency wallet security and the necessity to select dependable and secure backup solutions for private keys and mnemonic phrases. In this article, we will show you how EviSeed and EviVault, two technologies developed by Freemindtronic, can help you protect your crypto assets from hackers.

Lazarus-affiliated North Korean hackers are renowned for their sophisticated attacks. In the case of the StakeCube theft, they demonstrated a high level of organization and methodology. However, EviSeed and EviVault’s advanced security features could have acted as formidable barriers, enhancing crypto wallet security.

  • Advanced encryption: EviSeed uses post-quantum AES-256 encryption, which makes it virtually impossible for hackers to decrypt the mnemonic phrases and private keys stored, even if they physically access the device.
  • Key segmentation: EviSeed’s key segmentation would have added another layer of protection. Without knowledge of the encryption keys and corresponding segments, which are greater than 256 bits, attackers couldn’t access the private keys.
  • Authentication criteria: Users can set up to four additional segmented authentication criteria for each wallet, including geographic zones, fingerprints, BSSID (Wi-Fi network identifiers) or UID of paired Android NFC smartphones. This would have made it extremely challenging for hackers to gain access.
  • Offline storage: EviSeed works offline, ensuring that mnemonic phrases and private keys are never exposed to the internet, a common entry point for hackers.

Cyber-Attack-Proof Crypto Wallet Security via EviVault

Cryptocurrencies are valuable digital assets that need protection from hackers or accidents. But how can you secure your crypto wallet effectively and easily? The answer is EviVault NFC HSM, an innovative solution that uses NFC technology to encrypt and backup your private keys.

You know how difficult it can be to back up and encrypt your private keys with traditional methods. This is also where the EviVault NFC HSM technology comes in. Let’s take a look at how EviVault improves crypto wallet security against potential threats, such as North Korean hackers. In the context of protecting your digital assets, we will discover how EviVault combines several protection measures:

  • Fortifying Physical Security: EviVault’s resolute physical security measures would have posed an insurmountable challenge to hackers. The private keys, nestled within the NFC card, would remain impenetrable.
  • Rampart of Encryption and Key Segmentation: EviVault would have placed attackers in a cryptographic deadlock. It employs post-quantum AES-256 encryption and meticulous key segmentation. Decrypting the private keys would become an exercise in futility.
  • Enhancing Authentication Criteria: EviVault introduces a layer of complexity by incorporating additional authentication criteria, such as geographic zones and fingerprints. These sophisticated layers would have further confounded hackers, rendering their attempts futile.
  • EviCore Integration: An Extra Layer of Security Access to the NFC card is exclusively governed by the Freemindtronic application, intricately woven with EviVault technology. This integration bestows an added layer of security. It ensures that even if the NFC HSM were stolen, attackers would be stymied by the intricate web of authentication criteria required to decrypt the private key.

We can’t rewrite history or reverse the result of the Stake hack, but it’s clear that EviSeed and EviVault NFC HSM technologies are strong advocates. These are indispensable tools to strengthen the security of the crypto wallet in today’s digital landscape. They act as your shield against potential threats. Note that the Keepser product an NFC Cold Wallet embedding EviVault NFC HSM technology from Freemindtronic click here to learn more.

Official Sources

To support the information presented in this article, we have used the following official sources:

  • [FBI press release] that attributes the theft to Lazarus, a North Korean state-sponsored cybercrime unit.
  • [IMF report] that analyzes the risks and challenges related to crypto-assets and proposes recommendations to strengthen supervision and international cooperation.
  • [Stake.com official website], the online casino and betting platform victim of the theft, that explains how the theft occurred and how they plan to reimburse their users.
  • [Freemindtronic official website], the company that developed EviSeed and EviVault technologies, that presents the benefits and features of these secure backup solutions for private keys and mnemonic phrases.
Articles, Digital Security, News

How to Recover and Protect Your SMS on Android

Posted on by FMTAD
Recover and protect your SMS and secure by EviCypher NFC HSM Technology by Freemindtronic from Andorra
31
Aug

Recover and protect your SMS hack by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.  

Guard Your SMS: Protect & Recover Android Texts

SMS are one of the most common ways of communication in the digital world. They can contain important information, such as personal messages, bank details, verification codes, and more. However, Various factors such as accidental deletion, device malfunction, virus attack, or theft can cause the loss, deletion, or compromise of SMS.

Recover and Protect Your SMS on Android: A Complete Guide

First of all, SMS are a popular communication tool on Android smartphones. They allow you to share information, emotions, memories with your loved ones or professional contacts. But what if you lose your SMS by accident or maliciously? How can you recover and protect them?

In the following sections, we will show you how to restore your permanently deleted SMS on Android with different methods, such as Google Drive backup, Samsung Messages trash or third-party apps.

Moreover, we will address the recovery of SMS that are supposed to be permanently deleted or inaccessible intentionally. Malicious people recovering these SMS can cause significant harm or even be vital. That’s why, we will show you how to secure your sensitive SMS even in case of recovery, interception or unauthorized access with EviCypher NFC HSM technology, developed by Freemindtronic, an Andorran company specialized in NFC security.

Finally, as an inventor of counter-espionage, security and cybersecurity solutions at Freemindtronic, the illicit recovery of sensitive data such as SMS often has serious consequences. We are also the first to introduce you to this innovative technology, which allows you to encrypt your SMS with your own encryption keys stored in a secure NFC device. By following this guide, you will be able to recover and protect your SMS on Android easily and effectively, while preserving your privacy, avoiding fraud and backing up your data.

Why Recover Your Deleted SMS on Android?

You may have deleted an important SMS on your Android smartphone by mistake. Or maybe you deleted an SMS on purpose, but regretted it later. Or maybe you lost your SMS because of a bug, a virus or a theft of your phone.

In all these cases, you can try to recover your deleted SMS with different methods. This can help you find useful information, precious emotions or unforgettable memories. It can also prevent problems or misunderstandings with your interlocutors.

However, these methods are not guaranteed to work and may have some drawbacks. For example, some of them may require you to reset your phone to factory settings, which erases all your data. Others may require root access to your phone, which voids your warranty and exposes your phone to security risks.

Below, here are some of the methods you can use to recover your permanently deleted SMS on Android.

Method 1: Recover Deleted SMS from Google Drive Backup

One of the simplest methods to recover permanently deleted SMS on an Android smartphone is to restore them from a Google Drive backup. Google Drive is an online storage service that lets you backup your data, including your messages, contacts, photos and more.

To use this method, you must have enabled Google Drive backup on your phone before deleting your messages. You must also have a backup that contains the messages you want to recover. Finally, you must reset your phone to factory settings and restore it from the backup.

Here are the steps to follow:

  • Backup all the important files on your phone that are not in the Google Drive backup.
  • Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
  • Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the reset process.
  • When your phone restarts, sign in with the Google account you used to make the backup.
  • Choose to restore your phone from the Google Drive backup that contains your messages.
  • Wait for the restoration to finish and check if your messages are back.

Method 2: Recover Deleted SMS from Samsung Messages Trash

If you have a Samsung smartphone and use the default Samsung Messages app, you may be able to recover deleted SMS from the trash. This is a feature that stores your deleted messages for 30 days before erasing them permanently.

To use this method, you must have enabled the Trash option in the Samsung Messages settings before deleting your messages. You must also act quickly, as the messages will be erased after 30 days.

Here are the steps to follow:

  • Open the Samsung Messages app and tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.
  • Tap on Settings > Trash.
  • Select the conversation that contains the messages you want to recover.
  • Tap on Restore and confirm your choice.
  • Check if your messages are back in the conversation.

Method 3: Recover Deleted SMS with Third-Party Apps

If none of the above methods work for you, you may still have a chance to recover deleted SMS with third-party apps. These are apps that scan the memory of your phone and try to find and restore all the deleted data, including messages.

However, these apps are not guaranteed to work and may have some drawbacks. For example, some of them may require root access to your phone, which can void your warranty and expose your phone to security risks. Some of them may also charge you fees or display ads. Moreover, some of them may not be compatible with your phone model or Android version.

Therefore, before using a third-party app, make sure to read carefully its reviews, ratings, features, permissions and terms of use. Also backup all the important data on your phone before using an app that can modify or erase them.

Some of the popular third-party apps to recover deleted SMS on Android are:

  • FoneDog Android Data Recovery: This app claims to recover deleted text messages on Android without root. It also supports the recovery of other types of data, like contacts, photos, videos, WhatsApp messages, etc. It offers a free trial version and a paid version.
  • Dr.Fone – Data Recovery (Android): This app claims to be the world’s first Android data recovery software. It supports the recovery of various types of data on Android devices with or without root. It also offers other features, like backup and restore, screen unlock, system repair, etc. It offers a free trial version and a paid version.
  • SMS Backup & Restore: This app is not a recovery app per se, but a backup and restore app. It lets you backup your SMS and call logs on your phone, Google Drive, Dropbox or email. It also lets you restore them on your phone or another phone. It is a free app with ads and in-app purchases.

Statistics on Data Leaks by SMS or RCS

SMS and RCS are widely used communication channels, both for personal and professional exchanges. However, they are not immune to data leaks, which can have serious consequences for users and businesses. To illustrate these risks, here are some statistics:

  • A study by Thales found that 45% of businesses suffered a data breach or failed an audit involving data and applications in the cloud in 2021, up from 35% in 2020.
  • Employee errors were the biggest threat to sensitive or confidential data within their organizations in 2021, according to 47% of respondents in a study by Varonis. This means that employees can delete or send by mistake SMS containing sensitive or confidential data to unauthorized recipients.
  • Infobip reported that 60% of consumers read their SMS within 5 minutes of receiving them. This means that an SMS sent by mistake or intercepted by a third party can be read very quickly and cause harm to its recipient.
  • CM.com revealed that 75% of consumers use SMS to communicate with businesses. This implies that SMS often contain personal or professional information that can be exploited by hackers or competitors.
  • Juniper Research expects the number of RCS messages sent per year to reach 1.9 trillion in 2023. This represents an opportunity for businesses to offer enriched experiences to their customers, but also a challenge to protect these messages from data leaks.

These statistics show that SMS and RCS are popular but vulnerable communication vectors. It is therefore essential to protect your messages from malicious recovery attempts, using a technology like EviCypher NFC HSM. By following this guide, you will learn how to recover and protect your SMS on Android with EviCypher NFC HSM technology.

Real examples of data leaks by SMS or RCS

To illustrate the potentially serious consequences of a data leak by SMS or RCS, here are some real examples from the news. These examples show how important it is to recover and protect your SMS on Android devices. You never know who might try to access your messages and what they might do with them.

  • In 2018, Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, accidentally sent an SMS to a Wall Street Journal reporter instead of a board member. The SMS contained confidential information about Uber’s strategy in Asia and its relationship with SoftBank. The reporter published the SMS in his article, which caused embarrassment and a loss of credibility for Uber. If Uber had used EviCypher NFC HSM technology to recover and encrypt their SMS, they could have avoided this situation.
  • In 2019, François de Rugy, the French Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, was forced to resign after the revelation of his lavish expenses. Among the evidence that incriminated the minister, there were SMS that he had sent to his wife and that were recovered by the magazine Mediapart. The SMS showed that the minister boasted of having organized lavish dinners at the taxpayer’s expense.
  • In 2020, US President Donald Trump was accused of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. One of the key pieces of evidence in the impeachment case was an SMS sent by Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, to Bill Taylor, the US chargé d’affaires in Ukraine. The SMS said: “The president has been clear: no quid pro quo of any kind”. This SMS was interpreted as an attempt to conceal the blackmail exerted by Trump on Zelensky.
  • In 2021, the Indian government was accused of spying on journalists, activists and political opponents with the Pegasus spyware. This software allowed infiltrating smartphones and accessing messages, calls, photos and location of the targets. To infect smartphones, the software sent SMS or missed calls containing a malicious link to infiltrate smartphones. Several victims claimed to have received suspicious SMS before their phones were hacked.
  • In 2021, Orange, the French telecommunications group, was victim of a cyberattack that exposed the personal data of 15 million customers. The hackers exploited a flaw in Orange’s platform for sending promotional SMS, which contained information such as names, first names, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses of customers. Orange said it had fixed the flaw and filed a complaint against the perpetrators of the attack.
  • In 2021, Signal, the secure messaging service, revealed that Cellebrite, an Israeli company specialized in extracting data from smartphones, was able to decrypt SMS and RCS messages stored on Android devices. Cellebrite sells its tools to law enforcement and government agencies around the world, which poses risks for users’ privacy and security. Signal claimed to have found several flaws in Cellebrite’s software, which would allow compromising its data and analysis.
  • In 2021, WeChat, the Chinese social network, was accused of collecting and sharing user data with the Chinese government. Among the data collected, there were SMS and RCS messages sent and received by users on their Android smartphones. WeChat denied these accusations, but several countries such as India, the United States or Australia have banned or restricted the use of the app for national security reasons.

These examples show how important it is to recover and protect your SMS on Android devices. You never know who might try to access your messages and what they might do with them. That’s why we recommend using EviCypher NFC HSM technology to encrypt your SMS with your own encryption keys stored in a secure NFC device. This way, you can prevent any unauthorized access or interception of your sensitive messages. By following this guide, you will be able to recover and protect your SMS on Android easily and effectively.

How to recover and protect your calls, SMS, MMS and RCS on Android

You may wonder if someone can intercept and listen to your calls, SMS, MMS and RCS on your Android device. The answer is yes, it is possible, but it requires some skills and tools that are not easily accessible to the average user. However, you should be aware of the risks and the methods that hackers, companies or governments can use to spy on your communications. In this section, we will show you how to recover and protect your calls, SMS, MMS and RCS on Android with EviCypher NFC HSM technology.

An IMSI-catcher can capture your signals

An IMSI-catcher is a device that pretends to be a cell tower and captures the signals of nearby phones. It can collect information such as phone numbers, locations, contacts and messages of the targeted phones. It can also redirect or block calls, SMS, MMS and RCS, or modify their content. An IMSI-catcher can be small or large, hidden in a car or a backpack, or cover a wider area.

A data extraction tool can access your memory

A data extraction tool is a software or a hardware tool that can extract data from smartphones, such as Cellebrite, XRY or GrayKey. These tools can connect to a phone via USB or Bluetooth and access its memory, where calls, SMS, MMS and RCS are stored. They can also bypass the phone’s encryption or password protection, and recover deleted data. Law enforcement and government agencies often use these tools, but they can also fall into the wrong hands.

A spy app or a malware can monitor your activities

A spy app or a malware is a program that can be installed on a phone remotely or physically. It can run in the background and monitor all the activities of the phone, including calls, SMS, MMS and RCS. It can also record audio, take screenshots, track location and send all the data to a remote server or an email address. Some examples of spy apps or malware are mSpy, FlexiSPY, Pegasus or NSO Group.

EviCypher NFC HSM technology can encrypt your messages

These are some of the ways that someone can intercept and listen to your calls, SMS, MMS and RCS on your Android device. They are not easy to detect or prevent, but you can take some measures to protect yourself. For example, you can use encrypted apps like Signal or WhatsApp for your communications, avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments in your messages, update your phone’s software regularly and use a strong password or biometric authentication for your phone. You can also use EviCypher NFC HSM technology to recover and protect your calls, SMS, MMS and RCS on Android with your own encryption keys stored in a secure NFC device. This way, you can prevent any unauthorized access or interception of your sensitive messages.

Why Protect Your Sensitive SMS with EviCypher NFC HSM?

You may have SMS that have a sensitive nature on your Android smartphone. They may be personal, professional or confidential messages that you do not want anyone else to read. But did you know that these messages can be recovered by malicious people who want to spy on your privacy, steal your personal or professional information, or blackmail you?

Indeed, there are data recovery methods that allow you to scan the memory of your phone and find and restore all the deleted data, including messages. These methods can be used by malicious people who have access to your phone or your Google Drive backup.

That is why it is important to protect your sensitive SMS with EviCypher NFC HSM, a technology that allows you to encrypt your messages with your own encryption keys. Thus, even if someone succeeds in recovering your deleted messages, they will not be able to read them without having access to your keys.

How Does EviCypher NFC HSM Work?

EviCypher NFC HSM is based on EviCore NFC HSM, which is a hardware security module that combines hardware encryption and NFC communication protocols to protect your keys and secrets. EviCypher NFC HSM allows you to store, manage, share and use encryption keys for various web services, such as email, online storage, cryptocurrency wallets, etc. It also allows you to encrypt and decrypt your SMS with your own keys.

EviCypher NFC HSM works with any Android smartphone with NFC capability. You can use different types of NFC devices, such as cards, stickers, keychains, etc. These devices are battery-free and powered by the NFC signal from your phone.

To use EviCypher NFC HSM to encrypt your SMS, you need to install the Freemindtronic (FMT) app on your phone and pair it with the NFC device that contains your encryption keys. Then, you can use the app to encrypt and decrypt your SMS with a simple gesture.

Here are the steps to follow:

  • Download and install the FMT app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
  • Launch the app and follow the instructions to create your account and set up your security settings.
  • Tap on the NFC icon in the app and select the option to pair a new NFC device.
  • Bring your phone close to the NFC device that contains your encryption keys. The app will detect the device and ask you to confirm the pairing.
  • Once the pairing is done, you can see your encryption keys in the app. You can also create, import or export new keys if you want.
  • To encrypt an SMS, open the FMT app and tap on the SMS icon. Select the contact you want to send an encrypted SMS to. Type your message and tap on the lock icon. The app will ask you to bring your phone close to the NFC device to encrypt your message with your key. Then, tap on the send icon to send your encrypted SMS.
  • To decrypt an SMS, open the FMT app and tap on the SMS icon. Select the contact you received an encrypted SMS from. Tap on the encrypted message and tap on the unlock icon. The app will ask you to bring your phone close to the NFC device to decrypt your message with your key. Then, you can read your decrypted SMS.

Click [here] to learn how EviCypher NFC HSM technology works.
Then click [here] to learn more about EviCypher NFC HSM technology.

What Are the Benefits of EviCypher NFC HSM?

Using EviCypher NFC HSM offers several benefits to protect your SMS:

  • It is easy to use and contactless. You do not need to type or remember passwords or codes. You just need to bring your phone close to the NFC device.
  • It is secure and anonymous. Your encryption keys are never stored or transmitted online. They are only stored in the NFC device and used in the volatile memory of your phone. No one can access or trace them without having physical access to the device.
  • It is flexible and versatile. You can use different encryption keys for different purposes and share them with other people securely. You can also use EviCypher NFC HSM for other web services besides SMS.

In conclusion

In this article, you have learned how to recover and protect your SMS on Android. You have discovered different methods to restore your messages erased by mistake or maliciously, as well as the risks and limitations of these methods. You have also understood how to secure your sensitive messages with EviCypher NFC HSM, an innovative technology that allows you to encrypt your messages with your own encryption keys. Finally, you have learned some statistics and examples that show the importance of protecting your personal or professional data from data leaks by SMS or RCS.

We hope this article has helped you to recover and protect your SMS on Android with ease. By using EviCypher NFC HSM technology, you can recover and encrypt your SMS with your own encryption keys stored in a secure NFC device. This way, you can prevent any unauthorized access or interception of your sensitive messages. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us

 

Articles, Crypto Currency, Digital Security, News

Coinbase blockchain hack: How It Happened and How to Avoid It

Posted on by FMTAD
Coinbase Blockchain Hack 2023 How it happened and how to avoid it
21
Aug

Coinbase blockchain hack by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.  

The Crypto Nightmare

Imagine waking up one day and finding out that your hard-earned cryptocurrencies have been stolen by hackers who exploited a flaw in the blockchain platform you trusted. That’s what happened to thousands of users of Coinbase, one of the largest and most popular crypto platforms in the world, in August 2023. In this article, we will explain how this hack occurred, what were its consequences.

How to Prevent Coinbase Blockchain Hack with EviVault NFC HSM Technology

What happened to Coinbase Chain?

The hack and its consequences

On August 5, 2023, Coinbase announced that it had been the victim of a massive hack that compromised its decentralized blockchain, resulting in the loss of more than $200 million worth of cryptocurrencies. The hackers exploited a flaw in the consensus protocol of the chain, which used a proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism. By creating fake proofs of stake, the hackers controlled more than 51% of the computing power of the network. This allowed them to alter the transaction history and steal the funds from the users.

This hack is one of the largest and most sophisticated in the history of cryptocurrencies. It exposes the risks and challenges associated with the security of decentralized blockchains, which rely on the trust of the users and the verification of the transactions by the nodes of the network. Some experts say the hack of Coinbase Chain could damage the reputation and credibility of Coinbase, as well as the confidence of the investors and regulators in cryptocurrencies in general.

The response and the apology

Coinbase reacted quickly and took steps to stop the hack, identify the culprits, reimburse the victims and improve the security of its blockchain. Coinbase promised to reimburse all the users affected by the hack within 30 days and to strengthen the security of its decentralized blockchain. The company also apologized to its customers and to the crypto community for this incident.

Coinbase also announced that it would launch a bug bounty program to reward anyone who finds and reports vulnerabilities in its systems or products. The company said that it would pay up to $1 million for critical bugs that could compromise its platform or users’ funds. Coinbase also encouraged its users to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and use hardware wallets or cold storage devices to protect their cryptocurrencies.

What is proof-of-stake (PoS) and how was it hacked?

The concept of PoS

Proof-of-stake (PoS) is a type of consensus mechanism or protocol that uses the amount of stake (or value) held in the system to determine consensus. In essence, a consensus protocol is what controls the laws and parameters governing the behavior of blockchains. Think of consensus as a ruleset that each network participant adheres to.

In PoS, the nodes of the network commit “stakes” of tokens for a set period of time in exchange for a chance at being selected to produce the next block of transactions. The selection process is usually random, but weighted by the size of the stake. The more tokens a node stakes, the higher its probability of being chosen as a block producer. The block producer then validates the transactions and broadcasts them to the rest of the network. The other nodes check the validity of the block and vote on whether to accept it or not. If a majority of nodes agree on the block, it is added to the blockchain and the block producer receives a reward in the form of transaction fees or newly minted tokens.

The advantages of PoS

PoS is designed to be more secure, efficient, and scalable than proof-of-work (PoW), which is another type of consensus mechanism that requires nodes to solve complex mathematical problems to produce blocks. PoW consumes a lot of energy and computing power, which makes it vulnerable to attacks and environmental issues. PoS, on the other hand, relies on economic incentives rather than computational resources, which makes it more eco-friendly and resistant to attacks.

The vulnerability of PoS

However, PoS is not immune to hacking, as demonstrated by the recent incident involving Coinbase Chain, a decentralized blockchain project launched by Coinbase, one of the largest and most popular cryptocurrency platforms in the world. According to a report published by Coinbase, hackers exploited a flaw in the consensus protocol of Coinbase Chain, which used a PoS mechanism. By creating fake proofs of stake, they controlled more than 51% of the computing power of the network. This allowed them to alter the transaction history and steal funds from users.

The flaw in Coinbase Chain’s consensus protocol was related to how it handled forks, which are splits in the blockchain caused by conflicting versions of blocks. Normally, when a fork occurs, the network follows the longest chain, which is assumed to be the most valid one. However, in Coinbase Chain’s case, the hackers created a longer chain by generating fake proofs of stake and tricking the network into accepting their version of blocks. This way, they reversed or modified previous transactions and double-spent their coins.

This hack shows that PoS is not foolproof and that it requires careful design and implementation to ensure its security and reliability. It also highlights the importance of using trusted and tested platforms and protocols for building decentralized applications and smart contracts on blockchains.

What are the statistics of crypto hacks?

The trends: DeFi frauds rise while overall crime drops

Coinbase blockchain hack is not an isolated case. Crypto hacks have been happening since the inception of cryptocurrencies, and they have caused significant losses for investors, traders, and platforms. According to a report by CipherTrace, a blockchain analytics firm, crypto-related crime dropped by 57% in 2020 compared to 2019, but still amounted to $1.9 billion in losses.

However, while overall crime decreased, one sector saw a surge in frauds: decentralized finance (DeFi). DeFi is a term that refers to various financial applications that run on blockchains without intermediaries or central authorities. DeFi platforms offer services such as lending, borrowing, trading, investing, and staking cryptocurrencies. DeFi has grown rapidly in popularity and value in recent years, reaching over $100 billion in total value locked (TVL) as of August 2021.

However, DeFi also poses significant risks and challenges for users and regulators. DeFi platforms are often unregulated, unaudited, and vulnerable to hacking, exploitation, or manipulation. According to CipherTrace, DeFi-related hacks accounted for 45% of all crypto thefts in 2020, totaling $129 million. In 2021, this trend has continued, with DeFi hacks reaching $361 million in the first half of the year. Some of the most common types of DeFi hacks are:

  • Flash loan attacks: A flash loan is a type of loan that allows users to borrow large amounts of crypto without collateral for a very short period of time (usually one transaction). Hackers can use flash loans to manipulate prices or liquidity on DeFi platforms and profit from arbitrage or liquidation opportunities.
  • Reentrancy attacks: A reentrancy attack is a type of attack that exploits a vulnerability in a smart contract that allows an attacker to repeatedly call a function before it finishes executing. This can result in multiple withdrawals or transfers of funds from the contract without proper checks or balances.
  • Oracle attacks: An oracle is a service that provides external data to smart contracts on blockchains. For example, an oracle can provide price information for different assets or currencies. Hackers can manipulate or compromise oracles to feed false or inaccurate data to smart contracts and cause them to execute malicious actions or transactions.

The examples: some of the biggest crypto hacks in history

Coinbase blockchain hack is one of the largest and most sophisticated crypto hacks in history, but it is not the only one. Here are some other examples of notorious crypto hacks that have occurred over the years:

The following table shows some of the biggest crypto hacks in history, based on the amount stolen and the date of occurrence:

Platform Date Amount stolen Type of hack
Mt.Gox 2014 850,000 Bitcoins ($450 million) Unknown
DAO 2016 3.6 million Ether ($60 million) Reentrancy attack
Bitfinex 2016 120,000 Bitcoins ($72 million) Security breach
Coincheck 2018 523 million NEM ($530 million) Security breach
Binance 2019 7,000 Bitcoins ($40 million) Security breach
KuCoin 2020 $281 million Security breach
Poly Network 2021 $610 million Exploit

The latest news on the Coinbase blockchain hack

Since the announcement of the hack, there have been some developments and updates on the situation. Here are some of the latest news on the Coinbase blockchain hack:

  • Hackers return some of the stolen funds: Hours after the hack, the attackers started returning some of the funds – first in small amounts and then in millions. They started sending back small transfers totalling a few dollars to the online wallets controlled by Poly – but then began making much larger deposits, totalling hundreds of millions. The reason for this is unclear, but some speculate that it could be due to pressure from law enforcement, remorse, or fear of being tracked.
  • Coinbase identifies the perpetrators: Coinbase claimed that it had identified the perpetrators of the hack, whom it called “brigands” and that it intended to sue them. The company did not disclose their identities or locations, but said that it was working with authorities to bring them to justice. Coinbase also said that it had evidence that the hackers were not affiliated with any state or organization.
  • Coinbase launches a bug bounty program: Coinbase announced that it would launch a bug bounty program to reward anyone who finds and reports vulnerabilities in its systems or products. The company said that it would pay up to $1 million for critical bugs that could compromise its platform or users’ funds. Coinbase also encouraged its users to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and use hardware wallets or cold storage devices to protect their cryptocurrencies.

These are some of the latest news on the Coinbase blockchain hack. We will keep you updated on any further developments as they happen.

How could this hack have been prevented?

The solution: EviVault NFC HSM

One of the possible ways to prevent this type of hack is to use a technology developed by Freemindtronic, an Andorran company specialized in NFC security solutions. This technology is called EviVault NFC HSM, and it allows for physical offline secure storage of blockchain private keys, cryptocurrencies, wallets, Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, Smart Contracts.

EviVault NFC HSM uses NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to communicate with an Android smartphone and allows access to cryptographic assets with a simple gesture. EviVault NFC HSM is protected by two patents by Jacques Gascuel: wireless access control and segmented key authentication. It integrates EviCore HFC HSM technology developed by Freemindtronic and compatible with EviCore HSM technology.

EviVault NFC HSM comes in different shapes and formats, such as EviTag NFC keychain, EviCard PVC or PCB card, EviPins or EviCard 2 Gen card with two NFC chips on PCB. The latter can store up to 200 blockchain private keys with automatic public address generator. It supports all private keys and derived blockchain keys. And it allows managing with public addresses Bitcoin BTC Ethereum Cash ECASH Namecoin NMC Bitcoin cash BCH Ethereum Classic ETC ReddCoin RDD Bitcoin Gold BTG Ethereum Gold ETG Ripple XRP Dash DASH Ethereum lite ELITE Solar Coin SLR Digibyte DGB Feather Coin FTC Stellar XLM Dogecoin DOGE IOTA Verge XVG Ethereum ETH Litecoin LTC TRON TRX Cardano ADA Polkadot DOT Binance Coin BNB.

EviVault NFC HSM is the ultimate solution to protect all cryptographic asset keys from hackers, theft or loss. Its private keys are stored in EviVault’s EPROM memory, encrypted by an AES 256-bit algorithm. EviVault NFC HSM also benefits from a patented contactless access control system that allows defining two distinct access profiles: administrator and users, without allowing them to access each other’s secrets without their authorization. EviVault NFC HSM also has a patented segmented key authentication system that allows defining up to 9 trust criteria for encrypting its secrets, such as geolocation, BSSID, password or fingerprint.

By using EviVault NFC HSM technology, coinbase users could have secured their funds by storing them in an offline NFC device that offers a high level of protection and encryption for their keys and secrets. They could have avoided the risk of hacking, theft or loss of their cryptocurrencies, and have full control over their digital assets without depending on a centralized platform. They could also enjoy ease of use and speed of transaction thanks to NFC technology, which allows communicating with their Android smartphone and accessing their cryptographic assets with a simple gesture. EviVault NFC HSM is therefore a revolutionary technology for the security of coinbase and cryptocurrencies in general.

Click [here] for more information on EviVault NFC HSM Technology
Click [here] for more information on EviCore NFC HSM Technology

The alternative: EviSeed NFC HSM

Another technology that can provide security against this hacking of Coinbase is EviSeed NFC HSM, also developed by Freemindtronic. EviSeed NFC HSM is a technology that lets you store your crypto seed phrase in a simple, efficient and durable way. A seed phrase is a sequence of words, usually 12 or 24, that serves as a recovery key for your crypto wallet. If you lose your seed phrase, you lose access to your funds. If someone steals it, they can access your wallet and divert your funds.

EviSeed uses the standards of the BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposal) formats, especially the BIP39, to generate, enter or scan seed phrases without error thanks to a checksum control. EviSeed allows you to back up your seed phrases encrypted with your own encryption keys that can be segmented according to an implementation of the invention patent on segmented key authentication. You can use any type of fixed or removable media to store your seed phrases, including Freemindtronic’s NFC HSM devices, which are contactless hardware security modules. EviSeed also generates a QR code containing your encrypted seed phrase, which you can print, share, send or save between NFC HSMs by scanning the QR code encrypted in RSA 4096.

EviSeed offers you several advantages over traditional methods of storing seed phrases, such as paper, metal or digital media. EviSeed is simple: you don’t need to write or engrave your seed phrase, just scan it with the EviSeed app and transfer it to the media of your choice. EviSeed is efficient: you don’t need to memorize or type your seed phrase, just scan it with your smartphone to restore your wallet. EviSeed is durable: the media you choose to store your seed phrase can be resistant to water, fire, shocks and scratches. It does not deteriorate over time.

By using EviSeed NFC HSM technology, coinbase users could have backed up their seed phrases securely and conveniently. They could have restored their wallets easily in case of loss or theft of their devices. They could have also protected their seed phrases from physical or digital attacks thanks to the encryption and segmentation features of EviSeed.

Click [here] for more information on EviSeed NFC HSM

In conclusion

The hack of Coinbase’s decentralized blockchain was a major event that exposed the vulnerabilities and challenges of decentralized platforms. The hackers exploited a flaw in the proof-of-stake consensus protocol of Coinbase Chain and stole more than $200 million worth of cryptocurrencies from the users. Coinbase reacted quickly and took steps to stop the hack, identify the culprits, reimburse the victims and improve the security of its blockchain.

However, this hack could have been prevented by using EviVault NFC HSM technology, which allows for physical offline secure storage of blockchain private keys and cryptocurrencies. EviVault NFC HSM is a patented technology developed by Freemindtronic that offers a high level of protection and encryption for cryptographic asset keys, as well as ease of use and speed of transaction thanks to NFC technology.

This article shows that proof-of-stake is not foolproof and that it requires careful design and implementation to ensure its security and reliability. It also highlights the importance of using trusted and tested platforms and protocols for building decentralized applications and smart contracts on blockchains. Moreover, it demonstrates that EviVault NFC HSM is a revolutionary technology for the security of coinbase and cryptocurrencies in general.

Therefore, we recommend that coinbase users adopt EviVault NFC HSM technology to protect their funds from hacking, theft or loss. We also suggest that coinbase developers review their consensus protocols and implement best practices to prevent future attacks. Finally, we urge coinbase regulators and policymakers to establish clear standards and guidelines for ensuring the safety and integrity of decentralized platforms.

Articles, Compagny spying, Digital Security, Industrial spying, Military spying, Spying

Protect yourself from Pegasus spyware with EviCypher NFC HSM

Posted on by FMTAD
Protect yourself from Pegasus Spyware with EviCypher NFC HSM and EviCore NFC HSM by Freemindtronic technology from Andorra
02
Aug

Pegasus Spyware Protection by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.  

Pegasus spyware protection

Pegasus is a spyware that can hack your phone and spy on your confidential information. It has been used to attack sensitive people like journalists or politicians. Freemindtronic, an Andorran company specialized in NFC security, anti-spy and counter-espionage, offers you EviCypher NFC HSM, a device that allows you to store and manage your keys and secrets securely. With EviCypher NFC HSM, you can encrypt and decrypt your data, sign and verify your documents, authenticate and control your access, without fear of Pegasus or any other spyware accessing your data.

How to protect yourself from Pegasus spyware with EviCypher NFC HSM

Pegasus Spyware: what it is, how it works, and how to protect yourself with EviCypher NFC HSM. In this article, we will tell you about Pegasus spyware. A global investigation revealed its misuse by governments and intelligence agencies. They target and spy on personalities around the world. We will explain what Pegasus is, how it works, who developed and sold it, and how it violated human rights, free speech, and democracy. We will also give you tips to protect yourself from this malware with EviCypher NFC HSM technology. It uses a contactless hardware security module (NFC HSM). That is, an innovative security device that lets you encrypt your data and communications on your mobile phone with your own keys that you created and stored offline.

What is Pegasus spyware and how does it work?

The features and capabilities of Pegasus spyware

Pegasus spyware is a malware that can hack your phone and access your data, calls, location, camera, and microphone. It can use security flaws in Android and iOS: silent installation. Spyware activation: missed call or hidden message.

Once installed on a phone, Pegasus spyware gains full access to SMS messages, emails, photos, contacts, calendar, GPS data, logs, and any apps and data the phone contains. In fact, the spyware can even gain access to encrypted data and messages by intercepting them prior to the encryption process. Pegasus spyware can transmit all this information to a remote server controlled by the attacker. Pegasus spyware can also self-destruct or hide its traces if it detects any attempt to detect or remove it.

The developer and seller of Pegasus spyware

NSO Group, an Israeli company founded in 2010 by ex-members of Unit 8200, develops Pegasus spyware. The Israeli military’s cyber intelligence unit. NSO Group sells its product only to government and law enforcement agencies: rescue and crime-fighting purposes. However, accusations against NSO Group: spyware sales to authoritarian regimes and human rights abusers.

How Pegasus spyware has been used to target and spy on people around the world

The Pegasus Project: a global investigation into Pegasus spyware

July 2021: seventeen media outlets exposed Pegasus spying on leaders, activists, journalists and dissidents, leading to “global human rights violations.

The Pegasus Project was led by Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based nonprofit journalism organization, and Amnesty International’s Security Lab, which analyzed the phones of the victims. They revealed that NSO Group’s clients selected over 50,000 phone numbers for surveillance since 2016.

The high-profile targets of Pegasus spyware

NSO Group’s clients selected phone numbers of three presidents (Macron, Ramaphosa and Salih), 10 prime ministers (Khan, Madbouly, El Othmani, Modi, Orbán, bin Daghr, Hariri, Bedoui, Sagintayev and Michel) and one king (Mohammed VI).

The investigation also found at least 180 journalists from 20 countries targeted by Pegasus spyware. They included reporters from CNN , NYT , WSJ , Guardian , Al Jazeera , Le Monde , FT , WP , Reuters , Bloomberg , AP.

Furthermore , the investigation showed evidence of Pegasus spyware infections or attempts on at least 37 phones of journalists , activists , and executives from 10 countries. They were from India , Mexico , France , Morocco , Hungary , Azerbaijan , Bahrain , Saudi Arabia , UAE , and Rwanda.

Some of the other countries and people that have been reportedly targeted by Pegasus spyware are:

  • Azerbaijan: to spy on opposition politicians such as Ali Karimli and journalists such as Khadija Ismayilova in 2019
  • Bahrain: to spy on activists such as Nabeel Rajab and Moosa Abd-Ali Ali in 2020
  • Hungary: to spy on journalists such as Szabolcs Panyi and politicians such as Bernadett Szél in 2019
  • Kazakhstan: to spy on journalists such as Aigul Utepova and activists such as Serikzhan Bilash in 2020
  • UAE: to spy on Princess Latifa, the daughter of Dubai’s ruler who tried to escape in 2018
  • USA: to spy on Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, who had his phone hacked by Pegasus spyware in 2018 after he received a WhatsApp message from Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia

These cases show that Pegasus spyware has been used to violate human rights, free speech, and democracy around the world. The victims of Pegasus spyware have faced harassment, intimidation, arrest, torture, or assassination because of their work or opinions.

The latest news on Pegasus and its consequences

Since we published our article, there have been several important developments regarding Pegasus and its impact on the security and privacy of mobile phone users. Here is a summary of the latest news on Pegasus, sorted by descending chronological order:

Algeria launches an investigation into allegations related to Pegasus spyware

On July 21, 2023, Hindustan Times reported that Algeria had launched an investigation into allegations related to Pegasus spyware. The Algerian attorney general announced that he would open an investigation into the allegations that Pegasus spyware had been used to spy on Algerian personalities, including President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Army Chief of Staff Saïd Chengriha. According to an investigation conducted by the Forbidden Stories consortium and Amnesty International, and published by several international media outlets, Algeria was among the 50 countries whose phone numbers had been selected as potential targets by NSO Group’s clients, who are mainly governments and intelligence agencies. The investigation revealed that more than 600 Algerian personalities had been targeted by Pegasus between 2017 and 2021, including ministers, diplomats, journalists, activists, political opponents and civil society members. The investigation also suggested that Morocco was the main user of Pegasus in North Africa, and that it had spied on its Algerian neighbors for geopolitical and security reasons. The Algerian attorney general said that he would conduct a “thorough and serious” investigation into this matter, and that he would cooperate with the judicial authorities of the countries concerned. He also said that Algeria condemned “firmly” any violation of its national sovereignty and the privacy of its citizens.

This case shows that Pegasus poses a threat to the sovereignty and security of African countries, which are often victims of foreign interference. It also shows that Algeria takes seriously the protection of its citizens from illegal spying. We applaud the initiative of the Algerian attorney general to open an investigation on this subject.

The Spanish investigation into Pegasus spyware is closed due to “total lack of cooperation” from Israel

On July 10, 2023, The Times of Israel revealed that the Spanish investigation into Pegasus spyware had been closed due to “total lack of cooperation” from Israel. A Spanish judge was investigating the alleged hacking of phones of Spanish ministers with Pegasus spyware, made by the Israeli company NSO Group. The judge had asked four times the Israeli government to provide him with information on the software and to allow him to interrogate NSO Group’s CEO, but he never received a response. The judge therefore decided to close provisionally the case, citing the “total lack of cooperation” from Israel, which prevented the investigation from progressing. The judge indicated that the only possible recourse was diplomatic pressure, to urge Israel to respect its obligations under international treaties.

This case shows that Pegasus raises a legal and ethical problem, which requires international cooperation to enforce law and justice. It also shows that Israel displays a lack of transparency and accountability on its activities related to Pegasus spyware. We regret Israel’s attitude, which hinders the Spanish investigation and which does not respect its international commitments.

The FBI used Pegasus spyware to spy on iPhones, in violation of the US ban

On August 1st, 2023, Mac4Ever revealed that the FBI had used Pegasus spyware to spy on iPhones, in violation of the ban imposed by the US government in November 2021. According to the information published by The New York Times and The Guardian, the FBI had acquired Pegasus spyware in 2019, under Trump’s administration, for 9 million dollars. The bureau had tried to access data from some iPhones, including those of US officials in Uganda, without their consent or knowledge. The FBI had also used another product from NSO Group, Landmark, which allows locating phones through flaws in cellular networks. This product had been used by a subcontractor of the FBI to track drug traffickers in Mexico, without informing the FBI of the origin of the product. The FBI had terminated the contract with the subcontractor and opened an internal investigation into this matter.

This case shows that Pegasus represents a danger for the privacy and human rights of mobile phone users, including in the US. It also shows that the FBI acted in contradiction with US foreign policy and national security, which placed NSO Group on a blacklist in November 2021. It finally shows that the FBI was deceived by a subcontractor who provided it with an illegal and insecure product. We denounce the use of Pegasus spyware by the FBI and we demand an independent investigation into this case.

By summarizing the latest news on Pegasus and its consequences, we show that the threat is still present and that it is urgent to protect yourself from this spyware with Evicypher NFC HSM.

How to detect and remove Pegasus spyware?

Pegasus is a malicious software that can hack your phone and access your data, calls, location, camera and microphone. It can use security flaws in Android and iOS to install silently and activate by a missed call or a hidden message.

If you suspect that you have Pegasus spyware on your phone, you can use a tool called MVT (Mobile Verification Toolkit) to scan your phone and check for traces of infection. MVT is a free tool developed by Amnesty International’s Security Lab. It works for both iOS and Android phones, but it requires some technical skills and a computer to run it.

To use MVT, you need to follow these steps:

  • Back up your phone to a computer using iTunes (for iOS) or ADB (for Android)
  • Download and install MVT on your computer using Python
  • Download the Indicators of Compromise (IOC) file from Amnesty International’s GitHub repository
  • Run MVT on your computer and point it to the backup of your phone and the IOC file
  • Read the analysis report and look for signs of infection
  • If MVT finds evidence of Pegasus spyware on your phone, you should take immediate action to remove it and protect yourself. Here are some recommendations:
    • Erase your phone and restore it to factory settings
    • Change all your passwords and enable two-factor authentication
    • Contact a trusted expert or organization for further assistance
    • Report the incident to the authorities or the media

You can find more detailed instructions on how to use MVT and what to do if you are infected on Amnesty International’s website or on The Verge’s guide. You can also use iMazing’s spyware detection tool for iOS devices, which is easier to use than MVT but less comprehensive.

Pegasus is a serious threat to your privacy and security. You should be aware of the risks and take precautions to protect yourself. EviCypher NFC HSM is a powerful solution that can help you encrypt your data and your communications on your mobile phone with your own keys. You can also use MVT or iMazing’s tool to detect and remove Pegasus spyware if you think you are infected. Stay safe and vigilant!

How EviCypher NFC HSM can protect you from Pegasus spyware

EviCypher NFC HSM: features and capabilities

EviCypher NFC HSM Technology: encryption via a Contactless Hardware Security Module (NFC HSM) designed and manufactured by Freemindtronic, an Andorrane R&D company in cyber, safety, security and anti spy.

EviCypher NFC HSM: store your keys and secrets in a contactless NFC device, like a card, sticker, or keychain. The Android phone’s NFC signal powers the device and serves as the terminal and UI. The device can store up to 200 secrets in its EEPROM memory.

The device: patented wireless access control system for two access profiles: administrator and users. Share your secrets without compromising your privacy. Patented authentication system by segmented key for up to 9 trust criteria to encrypt your secrets, such as geolocation, BSSID, password, or fingerprint.

Evicypher NFC HSM: Use your secrets without constraint with different Android NFC phone and all types of computers via extensions for web browser and web courier and open source Thunderbird. Share your secrets safely and with confidence offline and in Gap air. That is to say physically isolated from networks. In addition, you can share your secrets proximity by Bluetooth ADHOC or via a simple QR code encrypted in RSA 4096. You can thus encrypt or oversee all your favorite email types from your NFC HSM. It is contactless encryption between human being, without leaving any traces of your secrets in your phones or computers.

Products and services based on EviCypher NFC HSM technology

EviCypher NFC HSM: based on EviCore NFC HSM Technology, one of Freemindtronic’s white label products and services with patented technologies. Only available under patent license for white label products integration.

Evicypher NFC HSM: double-use version for civil and defense purposes , with reinforced security for your secrets , using more hidden and/or shared trust criteria , unknown to the user , preventing physical or legal threats from obtaining them . This version: for sovereign entities , like armed forces or secret services , needing more protection against espionage threats like PEGASUS spy software.

How to get and use EviCypher NFC HSM

Anonymously, with Freemindtronic Install on your NFC Android phone, create and store your secrets in an NFC HSM. Define your access profiles and trust criteria for each secret. Use your unlimited secrets with different NFC Android phones. Use your usual communications without changing your habits, email, webmail, chat, SMS, instant messaging, to encrypt them without contact just by passing the NFC HSM from Freemindtronic under the NFC antenna of your phone. Share your secrets with others who also have NFC HSM compatible with EviCypher NFC HSM technology.

To use EviCypher NFC HSM: Android phone with NFC and Freemindtronic app [here]. NFC device compatible with EviCore NFC HSM technology, such as Datashielder product with EviCypher NFC HSM and EviPass NFC HSM technologies. You will have the choice of different models and designs manufactured by Freemindtroic the Freemindtronic website click [here] to find out more.

EviCypher NFC HSM is a technology that allows you to fight against Pegasus spyware by securing your keys and secrets with hardware encryption and NFC. With EviCypher NFC HSM, you benefit from an innovative, practical and flexible solution for your personal or professional needs.

If you are interested in obtaining Evicypher NFC HSM technology and using it for your personal or professional needs, you can contact Freemindtronic by clicking [here]. You can also consult on the site how Evicypher NFC HSM technology works by clicking [here].

Conclusion and recommendations

Pegasus spyware: a privacy and human rights threat needing urgent action and regulation. Amnesty International calls for a global moratorium on surveillance technology sales and use until a human rights-compliant framework exists.

Evicypher NFC HSM: A technology to help you protect yourself from spyware like Pegasus with contactless encryption from a NFC HSM device without ever keeping clear data in the phone and/or computer with the possibility of deciphering the encrypted messages in AES256 Post quantum in GPA air via an QR code encrypted in RSA-4096 from the NFC HSM. Freemindtronic, a research and development company of safety, security, cyber security and andorran spying solution, which develops and offers various NFC HSM format and services available under white brand license with patented technologies.

Evicypher NFC HSM: Use your secrets without constraint with various NFC Android phones and all types of computers via extensions for web browser and web mail and Thunderbird source. Share your secrets safely and with confidence offline and in Gap Air. That is to say physically isolated from networks. In addition, you can share your secrets by Bluetooth Adhoc proximity or via a simple QR code encrypted in RSA 4096. You can quantify in seconds all your texts and parts attached for all your favorite messaging from your NFC HSM. It is contactless encryption between humans, without leaving traces of your secrets in your phones or computers.

Articles, Digital Security, EviCypher Technology

Protect US emails from Chinese hackers with EviCypher NFC HSM?

Posted on by FMTAD
Protect your emails from Chinese hackers How to protect your emails from Chinese hackers with EviCypher NFC HSM technology
31
Jul

Protect your emails from Chinese hackers by Jacques Gascuel: This article will be updated with any new information on the topic.  

Protéger les e-mails américains contre les pirates chinois avec la technologie HSM NFC EviCypher

Les courriels et les pièces jointes des institutions américaines font l’objet d’une attaque sans précédent qui proviendrait de pirates chinois. Comment la technologie HSM NFC EviCypher d’Andorre, développée par Freemindtronic, peut-elle les chiffrer sans contact et prévenir la corruption ? Dans cet article, vous découvrirez pourquoi les pirates ne peuvent pas lire les emails et leurs pièces jointes qui sont exfiltrés, notamment ceux du gouvernement américain qui utiliserait cette technologie qui stocke physiquement les clés de chiffrement à l’extérieur. Ainsi, seuls les utilisateurs autorisés qui disposent d’un HSM NFC Freemindtronic avec la bonne clé peuvent les déchiffrer.

How EviCypher NFC HSM technology can protect emails from Chinese hackers

The Chinese hack on US emails: what happened and why it matters

In July 2023, a massive cyberattack targeted email accounts belonging to US government officials, as well as private organizations and universities. The hackers, suspected of being linked to the Chinese government, exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft’s cloud service, called Exchange Server, which allows users to access their emails via the web.

According to Microsoft, the attack affected more than 30,000 organizations in the US and thousands of others around the world. The hackers used a technique called “web shell”, which involves installing malicious software on the compromised servers, giving them remote access to the data and systems of the victims.

Among the victims were the State Department, the Defense Department, the Justice Department, the Energy Department, NASA, FAA, as well as defense companies, NGOs, media and academic institutions. The hackers were able to access the emails and the attachments of the hacked accounts as well as other information stored in their email account such as contacts and calendars.

Microsoft described the attack as “highly sophisticated and targeted” and attributed responsibility to a group named Hafnium which it describes as “a state-sponsored actor backed by China”. The Chinese government denied any involvement and accused Microsoft of “slandering” China.

Microsoft released security patches to fix the vulnerability patches to fix the vulnerability and advised all Exchange Server users to apply them immediately. It also collaborated with US authorities to investigate the incident and help the victims recover from the attack.

The attack raised concerns about the security of cloud computing, which is increasingly used by public and private organizations to store and manage their data. Cloud computing offers benefits such as cost reduction, flexibility and efficiency.

How EviCypher NFC HSM technology could have prevented the Chinese hack on US emails

If you want to protect your emails from Chinese hackers or any other cyber threats, you should consider using EviCypher NFC HSM Technology. It is a technology patented especially in the United States that allows you to store and use your cryptographic keys in a contactless device. It is a simple, efficient and durable solution for securing your data and secrets. In this section, we will explain how EviCypher NFC HSM works, what are its main features and benefits, and how it can help you protect your privacy and security.

What is EviCypher NFC HSM and how does it work?

EviCypher NFC HSM is a technology developed by Freemindtronic, an Andorran company specialized in NFC security. It is based on EviCore NFC HSM, which is a hardware security module that combines hardware encryption and NFC communication protocols to protect your keys and secrets.

With EviCypher NFC HSM, you can store your keys and secrets in a contactless device, such as a card, a sticker or a keychain. The device is powered by the NFC signal of the Android phone. This phone serves as terminal and user interface. The data stored in memory are encrypted contactlessly from the EviCypher NFC HSM application that performs encryption and decryption operations using advanced algorithms, such as AES 256 bits and RSA 4096 bits.

EviCypher NFC HSM also implements anti-cloning and anti-replay mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access or duplication of your secrets. The device has a patented power monitoring and protection device with black box. This device ensures the integrity and availability of the device. The device also has a patented wireless access control system that allows you to define two distinct access profiles: administrator and users, without allowing them to access each other’s secrets without their authorization. The device also has a patented segmented key authentication system that allows you to define up to 9 trust criteria for encrypting your secrets, such as geolocation, BSSID, password or fingerprint.

How EviCypher NFC HSM could have prevented the Chinese hack on US emails?

If the US government had used EviCypher NFC HSM technology with EviCore NFC HSM technology, the Chinese attack would have had no impact. Indeed, even if the hackers had succeeded in exploiting Microsoft Exchange Server’s vulnerability, they would not have been able to access emails and attachments of accounts protected by EviCypher NFC HSM. They would need the corresponding NFC device to decrypt data. Moreover, they would not have been able to clone or replay the NFC signal because EviCypher NFC HSM uses protection techniques against these attacks. Finally, they would not have been able to bypass access control or trust criteria because EviCypher NFC HSM allows you to define custom profiles and parameters for each user.

By using EviCypher NFC HSM, you can encrypt and decrypt your data with your own keys, without relying on any third-party service or provider. You can also use different encryption algorithms, such as AES 256 bits and RSA 4096 bits, to ensure the highest level of security for your data. In addition, you can share and exchange your keys with other users who have EviCypher NFC HSM devices, using secure NFC communication protocols.

How to protect your emails and messages with EviCypher NFC HSM?

You can use EviCypher NFC HSM with different messaging applications, such as:

Webmail services: how to protect your emails and attachments with EviCypher NFC HSM?

You can use EviCypher NFC HSM to encrypt and decrypt your emails and attachments stored in webmail services. For example: Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Proton Mail, Outlook, Roundcube Webmail, HCL Domino Webmail and others. To do this, you need to install the EviCypher Webmail extension on your web browser based on Chromium, such as Chrome. The extension will automatically add buttons to encrypt and decrypt your messages via the NFC device.

Instant messaging services: how to protect your messages with EviCypher NFC HSM?

You can use EviCypher NFC HSM to encrypt and decrypt your messages sent or received from instant messaging services. For example: WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook Messenger, Skype and others. To do this, you need to install the EviCypher IM extension on your web browser based on Chromium, such as Chrome. The extension will automatically add buttons to encrypt and decrypt your messages via the NFC device.

SMS: how to protect your SMS messages with EviCypher NFC HSM?

You can use EviCypher NFC HSM to encrypt and decrypt your SMS messages sent or received from your Android phone. To do this, you need to install the EviCypher SMS application on your phone. The application will automatically encrypt and decrypt your SMS messages via the NFC device.

Statistics on email attacks against the US

According to a report by Proofpoint, a cybersecurity company, email is the most common vector for cyberattacks against the US. The report states that in 2022, more than 80% of organizations in the US faced at least one email-based attack, such as phishing, malware or ransomware. The report also reveals that the US is the most targeted country by email threats, accounting for 36% of all global attacks. The report also identifies China as one of the top sources of email attacks, along with Russia, Iran and North Korea.

The report also highlights the impact of email attacks on the US economy and security. The report estimates that email attacks cost US organizations more than $20 billion in 2022, due to data breaches, business disruptions, reputational damage and legal fees. The report also warns that email attacks pose a serious threat to the US national security, as they can compromise sensitive information, disrupt critical infrastructure and undermine public trust.

The report recommends that US organizations adopt a comprehensive and proactive approach to email security, which includes:

  • Educating employees on how to recognize and avoid email threats
  • Implementing advanced email security solutions that can detect and block malicious emails
  • Encrypting sensitive data and using strong passwords
  • Backing up data regularly and having a recovery plan in case of an attack
  • Reporting any suspicious or malicious email activity to authorities

What is EviCore HSM OpenPGP and how does it protect your emails from Chinese hackers?

EviCore HSM OpenPGP is a technology that transforms your Android or iPhone into a hardware security module (HSM) for encrypting and storing your cryptographic keys. It leverages the highly secure OpenPGP standard, known for its use by whistleblowers, journalists, activists and privacy advocates.

With EviCore HSM OpenPGP, you can generate and manage your own keys on your phone, without relying on any third-party service or provider. You can also encrypt and decrypt your messages with your own keys, using the EviCypher HSM OpenPGP application that supports various messaging applications, such as email, webmail, SMS, RCS and more.

EviCore HSM OpenPGP also implements anti-cloning and anti-replay mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access or duplication of your keys. The application also has a patented wireless access control system via an NFC HSM EviBadge NFC HSM that allows you to authenticate and encrypt with segmented keys the OpenPGP encryption keys or any other types of keys stored in the phone. It is also possible to add trust criteria that allow you to define up to 7 trust criteria for encrypting messages (email, webmail, SMS, MMS, RCS and others) such as geolocation, BSSID, password, fingerprint, facial recognition, segmented keys between two distinct parties.

By using EviCore HSM OpenPGP, you can protect your emails from Chinese hackers or any other cyber threats. You can also use it with EviCypher NFC HSM devices, which allow you to encrypt and decrypt data in air gap mode.

What are the advantages of EviCore HSM OpenPGP?

EviCore HSM OpenPGP offers several advantages over other encryption solutions, such as:

  • Simplicity: You don’t need any additional hardware or software to use EviCore HSM OpenPGP. You only need your phone and the EviCypher HSM OpenPGP application.
  • Efficiency: You can encrypt and decrypt your messages with a single tap on your phone screen. You don’t need to enter any passwords or codes to access your keys.
  • Durability: You can store your keys securely on your phone memory, export them, import them, back them up on a cloud service or an external storage device. You can also use NFC HSM devices to add other trust criteria with segmented keys stored in the device.
  • Compatibility: You can use EviCore HSM OpenPGP with different messaging applications, such as email, webmail, SMS, RCS and more. You can also use it with EviCypher NFC HSM devices, which allow you to encrypt and decrypt data in air gap mode.
  • Security: You can protect your keys and messages from hackers, malware and physical theft. You can also control who can access your keys and messages by defining access profiles and trust criteria.

How EviCypher HSM Technology is protected by patents

EviCypher HSM technology is protected by several patents issued by various countries, including the US. Some of these patents are:

  • US20210136579: A method for securing data using a contactless device that stores cryptographic keys and performs encryption and decryption operations via NFC communication with an Android phone.
  • US20100188785: A method for protecting a contactless device from cloning or replay attacks by using a power monitoring and protection device with black box that detects any abnormal power consumption or interruption.
  • US20180336335: A method for authenticating a contactless device by using a segmented key authentication system that allows defining up to 9 trust criteria for encrypting secrets, such as geolocation, BSSID, password or fingerprint.

These patents demonstrate the innovation and originality of EviCypher HSM Technology, as well as its compliance with the US intellectual property laws. These patents also provide legal protection for EviCypher NFC HSM Technology and EviCypher HSM OpenPGP against any potential infringement or imitation by competitors.

Conclusion

EviCore HSM OpenPGP is a new technology that allows you to turn your phone into a hardware security module for encrypting and storing your cryptographic keys. It is based on the OpenPGP standard, which is widely used for secure communication and data protection. By using EviCore HSM OpenPGP, you can protect your emails from Chinese hackers or any other cyber threats. You can also use it with different messaging applications, such as email, webmail, SMS, RCS and more. Moreover, you can use it with EviCypher NFC HSM devices, which allow you to encrypt and decrypt data in air gap mode.

We hope this article has helped you understand how EviCore HSM OpenPGP works and what are its advantages. If you are interested in learning more about this technology or ordering your own device, please visit the official website of Freemindtronic, the company that developed it. You can also watch this video that explains how EviCore HSM OpenPGP works and how to use it with different messaging applications.

Thank you for reading this article. We hope you have learned something new and useful about how to protect your emails from Chinese hackers with EviCypher NFC HSM technology. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you.

If you enjoyed this article and found it helpful, please share it with your friends and family who might be interested in protecting their emails from Chinese hackers or any other cyber threats. Stay safe and secure with EviCypher NFC HSM technology!

Original source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/07/12/microsoft-hack-china/