Category: Cyber

TeleMessage has been hacked

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TeleMessage, a modified Signal clone used by US government officials, has been hacked

source: techcrunch.com (contributed by FAN, Steve Page)  |  image: pexels.com

 

A hacker has exploited a vulnerability in TeleMessage, which provides modded versions of encrypted messaging apps such as Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp, to extract archived messages and other data relating to U.S. government officials and companies who used the tool, 404 Media reported.

TeleMessage came into the spotlight last week after it was reported that former U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz was using TeleMessage’s modified version of Signal. Israel-based TeleMessage, owned by Smarsh, offers its clients a way to archive messages, including voice notes, from encrypted apps. Continue reading “TeleMessage has been hacked” →

Countries shore up their digital defenses…

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Countries shore up their digital defenses as global tensions raise the threat of cyberwarfare

source: apnews.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hackers linked to Russia’s government launched a cyberattack last spring against municipal water plants in rural Texas. At one plant in Muleshoe, population 5,000, water began to overflow. Officials had to unplug the system and run the plant manually.

The hackers weren’t trying to taint the water supply. They didn’t ask for a ransom. Authorities determined the intrusion was designed to test the vulnerabilities of America’s public infrastructure. It was also a warning: In the 21st century, it takes more than oceans and an army to keep the United States safe.

A year later, countries around the world are preparing for greater digital conflict as increasing global tensions and a looming trade war have raised the stakes — and the chances that a cyberattack could cause significant economic damage, disrupt vital public systems, reveal sensitive business or government secrets, or even escalate into military confrontation. Continue reading “Countries shore up their digital defenses…” →

Russia is upping hybrid attacks against Europe, Dutch intelligence says

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Russia is upping hybrid attacks against Europe, Dutch intelligence says

source: nbcnews.com (contributed by FAN, Steve Page)  |  image: pexels.com

 

“We see the Russian threat against Europe is increasing, including after a possible end to the war against Ukraine,” the director of the Dutch military intelligence agency said.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Russia is increasing its hybrid attacks aimed at undermining society in the Netherlands and its European allies, and Russian hackers have already targeted the Dutch public service, Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD said Tuesday.

“We see the Russian threat against Europe is increasing, including after a possible end to the war against Ukraine,” MIVD director Peter Reesink said in the agency’s annual report. Continue reading “Russia is upping hybrid attacks against Europe, Dutch intelligence says” →

Secret comms in danger as Second Phone Number iOS app leaks user texts

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Secret comms in danger as Second Phone Number iOS app leaks user texts

source: cybernews.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

A virtual phone number iOS app with millions of downloads in the US has exposed its users’ data, including messages, media, and sender and recipient details.

While there are many reasons to have a virtual phone number, privacy is the most common. This is not lost on Second Phone Number app creators, as its App Store description starts with “Need a second phone number for private calls and texts?”

However, users expecting privacy are in for a surprise. The Cybernews research team has found that the popular iPhone app’s misconfigured Firebase instance exposed user details likely not meant for the outside world. Continue reading “Secret comms in danger as Second Phone Number iOS app leaks user texts” →

China Admitted to Volt Typhoon Cyberattacks on US Critical Infrastructure: Report

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China Admitted to Volt Typhoon Cyberattacks on US Critical Infrastructure: Report

source: securityweek.com |  image: pexels.com

 

In a secret meeting that took place late last year between Chinese and American officials, the former confirmed that China had conducted cyberattacks against US infrastructure as part of the campaign known as Volt Typhoon, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The meeting took place at a Geneva summit in December and involved members of the outgoing Biden administration. The US officials who were present were startled by China’s admission, people familiar with the matter told WSJ [paywalled article]. Continue reading “China Admitted to Volt Typhoon Cyberattacks on US Critical Infrastructure: Report” →

Critical Vulnerability Found in Canon Printer Drivers

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Critical Vulnerability Found in Canon Printer Drivers

source: securityweek.com  |  image: pixabay.com

Microsoft’s offensive security team has warned Canon about a critical vulnerability affecting some printer drivers. 

According to an advisory published last week by Canon, drivers associated with several production printers, office multifunction printers, and laser printers are affected by an out-of-bounds vulnerability. Continue reading “Critical Vulnerability Found in Canon Printer Drivers” →

Meet the AI Fraud Fighters: A Deepfake Granny+

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Meet the AI Fraud Fighters: A Deepfake Granny, Digital Bots and a YouTube Star

source: cnet.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

It was almost an hour into our Google Meet call. I was interviewing Kitboga, a popular YouTube scam baiter with nearly 3.7 million subscribers, known for humorously entrapping fraudsters in common scams while livestreaming.

“I assume I’m talking to Evan Zimmer,” he says with a mischievous glance, his eyes exposed without his trademark aviator sunglasses on. We were close to the end of our conversation when he realized that my image and audio could have been digitally altered to impersonate me this whole time. “If I’m completely honest with you, there was not a single moment where I thought you could be deepfaking,” he says.

Continue reading “Meet the AI Fraud Fighters: A Deepfake Granny+” →

A New Era of Attacks on Encryption Is Starting to Heat Up

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A New Era of Attacks on Encryption Is Starting to Heat Up

source: wired.com  |  image: pixabay.com

 

The UK, France, Sweden, and EU have made fresh attacks on end-to-end encryption. Some of the attacks are more “crude” than those in recent years, experts say.

OVER THE PAST decade, encrypted communication has become the norm for billions of people. Every day, Signal, iMessage, and WhatsApp keep billions of messages, photos, videos, and calls private by using end-to-end encryption by default—while Zoom, Discord, and various other services all have options to enable the protection. But despite the technology’s mainstream rise, long-standing threats to weaken encryption keep piling up.

Over the past few months, there has been a surge in government and law enforcement efforts that would effectively undermine encryption, privacy advocates and experts say, with some of the emerging threats being the most “blunt” and aggressive of those in recent memory. Officials in the UK, France, and Sweden have all made moves since the start of 2025 that could undermine or eliminate the protections of end-to-end encryption, adding to a multiyear European Union plan to scan private chats and Indian efforts that could damage encryption. Continue reading “A New Era of Attacks on Encryption Is Starting to Heat Up” →

Cybersecurity officials warn…

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Cybersecurity officials warn against potentially costly Medusa ransomware attacks

source: apnews.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are warning against a dangerous ransomware scheme.

In an advisory posted earlier this week, government officials warned that a ransomware-as-a-service software called Medusa, which has launched ransomware attacks since 2021, has recently affected hundreds of people. Medusa uses phishing campaigns as its main method for stealing victims’ credentials, according to CISA. Continue reading “Cybersecurity officials warn…” →

ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps

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Clickfix:  How to Infect Your PC in 3 Easy Steps

source: krebsonsecurity.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

A clever malware deployment scheme first spotted in targeted attacks last year has now gone mainstream. In this scam, dubbed “ClickFix,” the visitor to a hacked or malicious website is asked to distinguish themselves from bots by pressing a combination of keyboard keys that causes Microsoft Windows to download password-stealing malware. Continue reading “ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps” →