Security News

‘An0m’ Encrypted-Chat Sting Leads to Arrest of 800
2021-06-08 17:02

As FBI Special Agent Nicholas I. Cheviron wrote in the affidavit in support of a search warrant, while the FBI might have dented the supply of encrypted messaging devices, the demand didn't go away. "The continued for these encrypted device platforms by criminals is significant," he wrote.

FBI and AFP created a fake encrypted chat platform to catch criminals
2021-06-08 15:08

In the "Largest and most sophisticated law enforcement operations to date," a joint international law enforcement created a fake end-to-end encrypted chat platform designed solely to catch criminals. The FBI and the Australian Federal Police started cooperating three years ago in Operation Ironside, creating a fake encrypted messaging platform called Anom that was sold exclusively to criminals, allowing law enforcement to listen in on their messages and conversations.

Australian cops, FBI created backdoored chat app, told crims it was secure – then snooped on 9,000 users' plots
2021-06-08 01:53

The Australian Federal Police has revealed it was able to decrypt messages sent on a supposedly secure messaging app that was seeded into the criminal underworld and promoted as providing snoop-proof comms. Europol and the FBI will detail their use of the app in the coming hours.

Microsoft Teams worldwide outage impacts user logins, chats
2021-04-27 12:38

A worldwide Microsoft Teams outage is blocking users from logging into their accounts, and preventing those already logged in from sending and receiving messages. The Microsoft 365 Service health status page is currently directing customers to the Microsoft 365 Status Twitter account for more details regarding this widespread incident.

Belgian police seize 28 tons of cocaine after 'cracking' Sky ECC's chat app encryption
2021-04-08 10:39

The Belgian plod says it seized 27.64 tons of cocaine worth €1.4bn from shipments into Antwerp in the past six weeks after defeating the encryption in the Sky ECC chat app to read drug smugglers' messages. "During a judicial investigation into a potential service criminal organization suspected of knowingly providing encrypted telephones to the criminal environment, police specialists managed to crack the encrypted messages from Sky ECC," the Belgian police claimed, CNN reports.

CEO of Encrypted Chat Platform Indicted for Aiding Organised Criminals
2021-03-17 20:16

The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday announced an indictment against Jean-Francois Eap, the CEO of encrypted messaging company Sky Global, and an associate for wilfully participating in a criminal enterprise to help international drug traffickers avoid law enforcement. Sky ECC is said to have surged in popularity following a similar takedown of Encrochat last July by French and Dutch investigators, with many criminal gangs shifting to the service to carry out criminal acts.

US govt indicted me because I make privacy tools, says crypto-chat app CEO accused of helping drug smugglers
2021-03-15 23:57

The CEO of Sky Global - which sold encryption chat software with customized smartphones - has come out fighting after Uncle Sam charged him with knowingly assisting the international drug smuggling trade. "There is no question that I have been targeted, as Sky Global has been targeted, only because we build tools to protect the fundamental right to privacy. The unfounded allegations of involvement in criminal activity by me and our company are entirely false."

US Indicts Head of Alleged Crime Chat Comms Service
2021-03-15 13:08

The indictments were presented Friday against Jean-Francois Eap, the head of Sky Global, and Thomas Herdman, a former high-level distributor of Sky Global devices, the department said Friday. "The indictment alleges that Sky Global generated hundreds of millions of dollars providing a service that allowed criminal networks around the world to hide their international drug trafficking activity from law enforcement," said Acting US Attorney Randy Grossman.

CEO of Sky Global encrypted chat platform indicted by US
2021-03-13 17:28

The US Department of Justice has indicted the CEO of encrypted messaging company Sky Global, and an associate for allegedly aiding criminal enterprises avoid detection by law enforcement. Sky Global is the developer of an encrypted chat app known as Sky ECC that claims to be the "Most secure messaging app available anywhere in the world today."

European Police Pounce After Cracking Crime Chat Network
2021-03-10 21:31

Police said Wednesday they had arrested at least 80 people and carried out hundreds of raids in two European countries after shutting down an encrypted phone network used by organised crime groups. Police launched a top-secret operation to crack the SKY ECC network - which operates over a special phone - and "As of mid-February, authorities have been able to monitor the information flow of approximately 70,000 users," the Hague-based law agencies said.