Security News

Huawei, Vivo phones tag Google app as TrojanSMS-PA malware
2023-10-30 14:47

Huawei, Honor, and Vivo smartphones and tablets are displaying strange 'Security threat' alerts urging the deletion of the Google app, warning that it is detected as the 'TrojanSMS-PA' malware. BleepingComputer contacted Google to determine if a recent app update might have caused the sudden uptick in malware warnings, but a spokesperson said Google Play Protect is not triggering the alert.

WhatsApp gets support for multiple accounts on the same phone
2023-10-19 12:14

Meta announced today that it's rolling out support for multiple WhatsApp accounts on the same device, allowing users to switch between them without needing to log out. "Today, we're introducing the ability to have two WhatsApp accounts logged in at the same time," the company said on Thursday.

SpyNote: Beware of This Android Trojan that Records Audio and Phone Calls
2023-10-16 12:11

The Android banking trojan known as SpyNote has been dissected to reveal its diverse information-gathering features. Typically spread via SMS phishing campaigns, attack chains involving the...

Backdoored Android phones, TVs used for ad fraud – and worse!
2023-10-04 16:42

A key monetization mechanism of a sophisticated series of cybercriminal operations involving backdoored off-brand mobile and CTV Android devices has been disrupted, Human Security has announced. Badbox-infected devices are able to steal personally identifiable information, establish residential proxy exit peers, steal one-time passwords, create fake messaging and email accounts, and other unique fraud schemes.

Emergency alert on US phones and TVs today — Don’t worry, it’s just a test
2023-10-04 09:24

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission will run an emergency alert test today to check Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts capabilities nationwide. On consumers' phones, WEA alert messages will read: "This is a test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed."

“Snakes in airplane mode” – what if your phone says it’s offline but isn’t?
2023-08-21 19:45

That's because "Fake airplane" mode doesn't itelf snoop on or try to steal private data belonging to other apps, but works simply by showing you what you hope to see, namely visual clues that imply that your device is offline even when it isn't. You can imagine that determined scammers, cryptoconfidence tricksters and spyware peddlers might be keen to find a way to hide "Fake airplane" treachery in otherwise unexceptionable looking apps in order to make it through the App Store verification process.

Zoom ZTP & AudioCodes Phones Flaws Uncovered, Exposing Users to Eavesdropping
2023-08-12 11:34

Multiple security vulnerabilities have been disclosed in AudioCodes desk phones and Zoom's Zero Touch Provisioning that could be potentially exploited by a malicious attacker to conduct remote attacks. "An external attacker who leverages the vulnerabilities discovered in AudioCodes Ltd.'s desk phones and Zoom's Zero Touch Provisioning feature can gain full remote control of the devices," SySS security researcher Moritz Abrell said in an analysis published Friday.

Tracking Down a Suspect through Cell Phone Records
2023-07-17 11:13

Investigators went through phone records collected from both midtown Manhattan and the Massapequa Park area of Long Island-two areas connected to a "Burner phone" they had tied to the killings. They then narrowed records collected by cell towers to thousands, then to hundreds, and finally down to a handful of people who could match a suspect in the killings.

Satellites lack standard security mechanisms found in mobile phones and laptops
2023-07-14 04:30

Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security in Saarbrücken have assessed the security mechanisms of satellites currently orbiting the Earth from an IT perspective. They analyzed three current low-earth orbit satellites and found that, from a technical point of view, only some modern security concepts were implemented.

French Police Will Be Able to Spy on People through Their Cell Phones
2023-07-13 11:20

French police should be able to spy on suspects by remotely activating the camera, microphone and GPS of their phones and other devices, lawmakers agreed late on Wednesday, July 5. Covering laptops, cars and other connected objects as well as phones, the measure would allow the geolocation of suspects in crimes punishable by at least five years' jail.