Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Spyware infects iPhones, says report – How to keep it off

Spyware infects iPhones, says report – How to keep it off

Amnesty International links sophisticated iPhone spyware to Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group

Sophisticated spyware has landed on iPhones.

The phones were hacked using a so-called "zero-click" iMessage exploit, where hackers can gain control over a device without human interaction, according to an investigation by Amnesty International, which said the spyware was developed by Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group.

The investigation was done in coordination with Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit.

Sophisticated spyware has landed on iPhones, according according to an investigation by Amnesty International.


"Apple prides itself on its security and privacy features, but NSO Group has ripped these apart," Amnesty International said in a statement. "NSO Group can no longer hide behind the claim that its spyware is only used to fight crime."

The attacks exposed journalists and politicians who risk having their location and their personal information monitored and possibly used against them, the human rights group said.


A successful zero-click attack was observed on a fully patched iPhone 12 running iOS 14.6 in July 2021, according to the report.

"Apple unequivocally condemns cyberattacks against journalists, human rights activists, and others seeking to make the world a better place," Ivan Krstić, head of Apple security engineering and architecture, told FOX Business in a statement.

"Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals," Krstić said. "While that means they are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data."

The NSO Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How to detect spyware


Spyware surreptitiously gathers information about you, such as internet usage data, and then sends it to another party. The most malicious spyware will install software that changes the settings on your phone and/or steals usernames and passwords.

It typically lands on your phone along with a program or app that you installed yourself. "Spyware often accompanies programs that are disguised as useful software, such as download managers, registry cleaners, and so on," Internet security company Kaspersky says.

In some cases, spyware is secretly installed by a parent but it may also be installed by a suspicious partner, according to a spyware primer from Avast, which offers internet security applications.

Some indicators of spyware can be an overheating phone, a battery that drains too fast, excessive data usage, and annoying messages that pop up when you’re browsing the internet, Avast says.

How to remove spyware


Think you have spyware? Spyware removal tools may help in detecting and removing it. Anti-virus companies such as McAfee offer spyware removal apps.

You can also manually remove suspicious apps that you don’t recognize. Just follow iOS or Android instructions for deleting apps on your phone.

In a worst-case scenario, you can do a factory reset of your phone. This will erase all data from your phone, including the spyware. But you need to make sure the backup you use for the reset is dated before you got the spyware, says Avast.

One of the best strategies is to make sure your phone’s operating system software is up to date.

"Some iPhone spy software is effective only because of an iOS security flaw. Hackers are always looking for software vulnerabilities to exploit, which Apple regularly fixes via Apple security updates," says Avast. So, the best way to stop the spyware is updating to the latest iOS release.

#NSO 
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
×