SPYWARE SOFTWARE
Unacademy founders plan AI fund; Flipkart’s premium push
Happy Monday! Unacademy’s founders are raising a fund focused on AI and deeptech. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Got Income Tax notice asking you to pay Rs 6,000 in tax? Check this warning from government’s fact check team
Attention taxpayers: a fraudulent Income Tax notice demanding a payment of Rs 6,000 has been detected online. The Fact Check team from the Press Information Bureau has categorically identified it as a phishing scam. Citizens are strongly advised not to respond to such deceptive messages from unfamiliar sources. Remember, the Income Tax Department will never ask for sensitive financial details via email.
US court bars NSO Group from installing spyware on WhatsApp
A US judge has banned Israeli spyware firm NSO Group from targeting WhatsApp users. The court also reduced a large damages award to a smaller sum. Evidence showed NSO Group used sophisticated methods to install spyware. This software was designed to bypass security measures. The lawsuit accused NSO Group of cyberespionage against various individuals.
Signs your laptop might be bugged. And how to fight back
Your laptops are always at a risk of being bugged. Monitoring software can attack personal and professional laptops. Here are some ways you can check it and fight back
US jury awards WhatsApp $168 million in NSO Group cyberespionage suit
A US jury awarded WhatsApp $168 million in damages against Israeli firm NSO Group for using Pegasus spyware to hack users’ phones. The court found NSO guilty of targeting journalists and activists via WhatsApp. Meta hailed the verdict as a major step against surveillance-for-hire cyberespionage operations.
CERT-In warns of multiple vulnerabilities in Apple products, asks users to update OS
In a vulnerability note issued on August 2, the CERT-In said that multiple issues had been reported in Apple’s products which could allow attackers to access sensitive information present on devices, executive arbitrary code, bypass security restrictions, cause denial of service and perform spoofing attacks.
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Security alert for Apple users: Govt issues 'high risk' advisory for several devices; check the full list
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a severe warning about critical vulnerabilities in Apple products, affecting iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more. These flaws, identified in software versions prior to recent updates, could lead to severe security breaches including sensitive information leaks and arbitrary code execution. Users are advised to apply the latest updates immediately. Additionally, Apple has alerted users worldwide about potential spyware attacks similar to Pegasus.
Google calls out spyware firms and advocates for tighter regulation
Spyware firms often say their products are meant for the use of governments for national security, but the technology has been repeatedly found to have been used to hack into the phones of civil society, political opposition and journalists in the last decade.
Spyware can infect your phone or computer via the ads you see online: report
Spyware lets the user see the contents of the target's device, including calls, texts, email and voicemail. Some forms of spyware can take control of a phone, including turning on its microphone and camera.
Apple's SOS: IOS 16.6.1 emerges as crucial defense against Pegasus spyware threat all about the software update
In swift response to concerns regarding digital privacy, Apple has introduced iOS 16.6.1, an emergency software update designed to counter the threat of Pegasus spyware. This critical update comes on the heels of a significant revelation by researchers from Citizen Lab, a division of the University of Toronto.
Govt using new software to spy over people opposed to it: Congress
Citing media reports, he said that according to trade data analysed by a prominent newspaper once again, the BJP government stands "exposed" before the nation for its role and complicity in the "illegal and unconstitutional surveillance racket". "Didn't the BJP government spy on its citizens and political leaders in the run-up to 2019 General Elections to Parliament of India through Pegasus, and now aims to repeat the same by using another spyware for the 2024 General Elections?
What's Cognyte, the spyware Congress alleges the government is buying
Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed today that the Modi government is looking to acquire new spyware by spending Rs 986 crore of taxpayers' money to target journalists and the Opposition. Khera asked if Cognyte had sold spyware to any ministry, and at what cost.
Congress leader Chidambaram slams Centre over Pegasus spyware issue
In a veiled attack, the Congress leader further targeted the Centre by saying that if we get more sophisticated spyware ahead of the 2024 elections, India can give Israel even 4 billion dollars.
US lawmakers call for sanctions against Israel's NSO, other spyware firms
Their letter sent late Tuesday also asks for sanctions on top executives at NSO, the United Arab Emirates cybersecurity company DarkMatter, and European online bulk surveillance companies Nexa Technologies and Trovicor.
Pegasus row: Supreme Court to pronounce judgment on probe pleas today
Several petitions are pending before the top court seeking a court-monitored probe into the reports of the government allegedly using Israeli software Pegasus to spy on politicians, activists and journalists.The Centre had earlier told the apex court that it was willing to set up a committee of independent experts to examine all aspects of the alleged Pegasus snooping row.
NSO ended Pegasus contract with UAE over Dubai leader's hacking
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, instructed the hacking of six phones belonging to Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, her lawyers and security team, England's High Court ruled in a judgment
Govt telling SC it can't divulge its info in public confession that spyware was used: Chidambaram
The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that divulging information on whether the country uses spyware like Pegasus or not would involve national security aspect as enemies of the nation or those indulging in terror activities would change or modulate their software.
Pegasus row: NCP asks Centre to probe if any foreign govt snooped on Indian politicians, judges
Malik told reporters that the Defence ministry has said there was no transaction with the NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance software company, regarding the Pegasus spyware.
Pegasus Scandal: Top Israeli defence committee to convene 'closed' session on cyberarms
The Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee will convene a closed session to discuss not just NSO and the string of revelations about its spyware's potential targets exposed as part of the Project Pegasus, but also other Israeli offensive firms that have made headlines in recent months, daily Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
Israel's NSO blocks some government clients from using its spyware over misuse claims: Report
Israeli cybersecurity company NSO Group, has temporarily blocked several government clients around the world from using its spyware technology as the firm probes its alleged abuses, according to a US media report. The suspensions are in response to an investigation by the Pegasus Project, a consortium of media outlets that reported the company's Pegasus spyware was linked to hacks and potential surveillance.
Israeli agencies raid NSO offices over Pegasus row
Though there is little clarity on the nature of the raids, Israeli news outlet Calcalist cited an anonymous source to term the move “more of a formal meeting than an in-depth audit of NSO’s documents and computer systems”.
ETtech Explainer: What is Pegasus spyware and how it works
The Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli software company NSO Group, has targeted globally more than 50,000 phone numbers, including 300 in India, for surveillance.
Pegasus: What is it? How does it operate?
In 2019, messaging major WhatsApp revealed that the Israeli technology had been used to infect close to 1,400 phones with the application installed.
The Pegasus spyware: All you need to know
The spyware leaves no trace on the device, consumes minimal battery, memory and data consumption and comes with a self-destruct option that can be used any time, the complaint further added.
WhatsApp snooping row: Baghel orders probe
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel seeks a probe into illegal surveillance in the state affairs through Israeli spyware Pegasus that was earlier reported to be snooping on people by enabling a jailbreak system on their devices. A three-member committee is summoned to investigate further into the matter.
Spyware is getting cheaper, Indian digital beware says EFF
Galperin who was attending India's largest cyber security conference Nullcon 2018 said that mobile phones is the primary attack platform and mobile tracking is one of the fastest growing modes of spying worldwide.
Software Detekt can spot if NSA’s spying on you
Developed by security researcher Claudio Guarnieri, Detekt has support of Amnesty International, Electronic Frontier Foundation, & Privacy International.
Microsoft launches security solution for home PC users
Software giant Microsoft today launched a security solution for its Windows operating system in the Indian market.
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