iOS 9.3.5 Update Urged by Apple

From /.

Malware Sold To Governments Helped Them Spy on iPhones

One of the world's most evasive digital arms dealers is believed to have been taking advantage of three security vulnerabilities in popular Apple products in its efforts to spy on dissidents and journalists, reports The New York Times. (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled, here's an alternate source).

From the report: Investigators discovered that a company called the NSO Group, an Israeli outfit that sells software that invisibly tracks a target's mobile phone, was responsible for the intrusions. The NSO Group's software can read text messages and emails and track calls and contacts. It can even record sounds, collect passwords and trace the whereabouts of the phone user. In response, Apple on Thursday released a patched version of its mobile software, iOS 9.3.5. Users can get the patch through a normal software update.

The Washington Post reports that these "zero-day" flaws were previously used by the governments to take over victims' phones by tricking them into clicking on a link to a text message. Motherboard says that this is the first time anyone has uncovered such an attack in the wild. "Until this month, no one had seen an attempted spyware infection leveraging three unknown bugs, or zero-days, in the iPhone. The tools and technology needed for such an attack, which is essentially a remote jailbreak of the iPhone, can be worth as much as one million dollars."

Comments

  • You gotta think that they will always strive to do this. Patching this vulnerability will maybe put them a step back but they will be always be looking for flaws and keeping it to themselves…

    We're only human and so are the coders. Nothing is perfect.

    Where there is a will there is a way.

    • Exactly, The only reason apple gets press because off stuff like this is because its a uniform device, where with android, because you have samsung, htc, etc and each phone manufacturer puts their own stuff in the software, it makes android a lot less mass venerable than the iPhone.

      • Remember stagefright??

      • +1

        Hmm, but they all use the base android, which isn't any different because multiple manufacturers use it. But the software each phone vendor puts on top makes them even more vulnerable. And usually, when a vulnerability is discovered, they remain vulnerable because of the manufacturer and Telco are often both involved in patching, it's a lot slower and fewer people do it.

        Basically iOS is not completely secure, but it's the most secure. Something Apple have spent a good deal of time, effort and legal work to ensure, because the reputation is worth huge dollars to their bottom line.

        Theoretically the vanilla android build direct from Google could be as secure. But basically the more software you add with elevated permissions to do things, the less secure your device will be.

      • it makes android a lot less mass venerable than the iPhone.

        Yeah, bullshit. It makes Android a lot more accessible.

        • Might i add, I only owned like 2 droids before switching, and this was before they were what they are today,

  • +1

    Let me add that I had my credit cards details stolen when paying for a transaction with my iphone on wednesday night, on thursday somebody made multiple transactions on my credit card and NAB anti fraud system detected the unsual activity and called me to confirm. PLease see thread below.
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/263021
    I can't confirm for sure this is what caused it but it makes sense.
    See article below for more details
    http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/technology/apple-forced-to-iss…

    • did you visit any video streaming sites besides youtube on your phone?

    • +2

      Although not 100% impossible, I still honestly doubt such comprehensive exploit that is generally sold to governments for peeping on activists, would be that petty to steal random people's credit cards.

  • Nokia 1100 FTW.

  • Think the Nokias older cuz

  • The Israeli Mossad gas hacked apple phones hence this bug fix from apple. Don't ever open links sent to you as a text message.

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