Ethical Hacking News
The world is under threat from increasingly sophisticated spyware, which poses a significant risk to global citizens' personal data, online freedom, and national security. Experts warn that it's essential to stay vigilant and take proactive measures to protect ourselves from this growing menace. Learn how to identify the signs of spyware infection and what you can do to prevent it in this in-depth article.
Spyware has become a sophisticated and prevalent threat, targeting individuals worldwide, including activists, journalists, politicians, and business leaders. Spyware can be used as a tool of repression to silence people speaking truth to power, such as Thai activist Niraphorn Onnkhaow. The scope of the threat extends beyond activists and journalists, targeting government officials, financial IT workers, and others in a business environment. Recent incidents have shown that spyware can be used to steal credentials for enterprise access and compromise devices using encrypted messaging apps. High-profile individuals, such as former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, have been compromised by NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. Experts recommend turning off smartphones to temporarily disrupt spyware and replacing them if infected. To protect yourself from spyware, use anti-spyware features, exercise strict control over app installations, and stay vigilant with online activities.
In recent years, the world has witnessed a significant escalation in the sophistication and prevalence of spyware. This type of malware has been increasingly used by governments and other entities to target individuals, including activists, journalists, politicians, and business leaders. The impact of this threat cannot be overstated, as it poses a severe risk to global citizens' personal data, online freedom, and national security.
According to Amnesty International's researcher, Rebecca White, spyware can be used as a tool of repression to silence people speaking truth to power. Thai activist Niraphorn Onnkhaow is a prime example. Between 2020 and 2021, at the height of Thailand's pro-democracy protests, Onnkhaow was targeted 14 times by Pegasus spyware. Soon afterward, she decided to end her role in the protest movement amid fears that her private data could be weaponized against her.
The scope of this threat extends beyond activists and journalists. Mobile spyware appears to be targeting a wider subset of people, often within a business environment. The malware is hitting "a wide range of society," from government officials to financial IT workers, says iVerify's Cole. "Increasingly, it's used beyond intelligence gathering, to steal credentials for enterprise access."
The most recent incident involved hundreds of iPhone and Android users receiving a threat notification, warning them that their device had been targeted by spyware. Days later, Apple and Google patched security holes that experts think were used to plant the stealthy malware on a select group of devices.
Spyware is so dangerous because the adversary is able to see and hear everything you do on your smartphone, including via encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal. But it tends to be extremely targeted against dissidents, journalists, politicians, and business leaders operating in certain sectors.
The impact of this threat can be seen in recent cases where high-profile individuals have been compromised by NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Hanan Elatr, wife of murdered Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, were both compromised by the malware.
Experts say that spyware can be temporarily disrupted by turning your smartphone off and on again. However, if the malware does get on your device, the best course of action is to ditch it altogether. Several organizations, including Amnesty International, Access Now, and Reporters Without Borders, can support members of civil society concerned they have been targeted with spyware.
To protect yourself from this threat, it is essential to stay vigilant and take proactive measures. Using anti-spyware features on your device, such as Apple's Lockdown Mode or Google's Advanced Protection, can help prevent infection. Additionally, exercising "strict control" over what gets installed on your device, avoiding side-loading on Android, and ensuring your mobile operating system and apps are fully updated can also mitigate the risk.
Furthermore, being mindful of clicking links from strangers, using a reputable VPN to prevent surveillance and censorship, evaluating any new requests for social media followers before accepting, and visiting Amnesty's secure onion website privately and anonymously through the Tor network's browser can help prevent some forms of surveillance and censorship.
In conclusion, the threat posed by sophisticated spyware is a growing menace that requires immediate attention from global citizens. By understanding the risks and taking proactive measures to protect ourselves, we can reduce the impact of this threat and ensure our online freedom and national security remain intact.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Looming-Threat-of-Sophisticated-Spyware-A-Growing-Menace-for-Global-Citizens-ehn.shtml
Published: Sat Jan 3 04:13:22 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
