from the hack-is-a-backdoor-used-by-the-"other-guy" dept.
Submitted via IRC for soylent_yellow
Government and military hit by WhatsApp hack
More details are emerging about this year's WhatsApp hack, revealing that senior government officials in multiple US-allied countries were targeted.
According to those familiar with the company's on-going investigation, a “significant “ portion of the known victims of the hack are either high-profile government or military officials in at least 20 countries on five continents.
This means that the WhatsApp hack could have much broader political and diplomatic consequences than previously thought.
WhatsApp recently filed a lawsuit against the Israeli cyber intelligence firm NSO Group which it believes built and sold a hacking platform that exploited a flaw in its servers to enable others to hack into the smartphones of at least 1,400 users of the company's messaging app.
At this time, it is still unclear as to who used the NSO Group's software to hack the smartphones of government and military officials but the firm has said that it sells its spyware exclusively to government customers.
According to people familiar with the investigation, some victims are in the US, UAE, Bahrain, Mexico, Pakistan and India. A dozen journalists and human rights activists in India have also come forward to say they were targeted.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Gaaark on Sunday November 03 2019, @06:55AM (2 children)
1 Don't allow the installation of apps and unnecessary programs.
2 Don't use Windows.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday November 03 2019, @07:56AM
That sums it up. No need for me to repeat it, is there?
(Score: 2) by Bot on Sunday November 03 2019, @08:19AM
If I were a rather high ranking military I wouldn't even stay close to a turned off smartphone.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by stretch611 on Sunday November 03 2019, @08:38AM (1 child)
While I am not a candidate for US president, due to the rumors that Israel is behind this, I can only hope that this message is received...
Israel, if you can hear me, I hope you are able to find the texts between Jared Kushner and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman after the Khashoggi slaying.
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 03 2019, @10:18AM
Sorry, would you mind using WhatsApp? It'll come so much clear to us.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 03 2019, @01:36PM
What the fuck are senior government officials doing with a kid's app on their phones anyway ?
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 03 2019, @02:19PM
Khazar jewish rats against khazar jewish rats. One khazar satan-worshiping jewish rat suing another.
Smart phones are not so smart afterall. They are smart, but as a smart spying device. And dumb people are carrying these smart spying devices in their pockets, placed on their desks and car dash. Do not use any product or service that was even touched by filthy khazar jewish rats.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by jmichaelhudsondotnet on Sunday November 03 2019, @02:48PM
There is that word again, I keep hearing it more and more often.
Notice above 'rat' flamebait, also meant to made this forum look a certain way. No one talks like that, it looks very fake in line with what I have seen elsewhere. Israelis are desparate to make it *look like* everyone who points out their backstabbing bullshit-ware is a craven luny. They are expending many, many resources towards this purpose at the moment internationally and it should be pretty obvious to anyone.
There is plenty of space in the world to distrust all israeli technology and boycott everything out of israel without being a racist against all jewish people, fortunately. Israel has brought it on themselves, I make no apologies. The israeli tech sector has lost trust for hundreds of years probably and their intentions are not friendly.
As for myself, I would like a prize actually, even back when I used a 'smart' phone, I rejected whatsapp once I learned it was an alleged privacy technology coming from a facegag affiliated company.
I would like to be compensated for my correct predictions with respect, and maybe you should consider my other writings on these subjects if my world view was more predictive than yours.
Once the rumor is confirmed, it is no longer a rumor. You are allowed to be prejudiced against people who are actually attacking you. In fact, your fear of being called prejudiced might be part of the attack.
thesesystemsarefailing.net