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Six ways your phone can be illegally tapped !

Six ways your phone can be illegally tapped !

Feb 20, 2011
Phone tapping in India has become a national concern with a leading operator revealing that at peak there are upto 100 phone tapping requests a day. In India there are ten major operators, at a conservative average of 50 taps a day per operator, there would be 182,000 authorized phone taps each year.  Not a significant number for a country of 500 million cell phones considering the real need to tap corrupt officials, drug dealers, suspected terrorists, mafia and other antisocial elements. To meet this requirement over 2000 such phone tapping equipment was imported by private security agencies, large businesses besides police and government agencies. Since phone taps are authorized only by the government, it is quite probable that some of the equipment in private hands is being used illegally for spying on politicians and businessmen.  There are six ways in which modern phone systems can be illegally tapped for corporate espionage and spying: 1)   Use of Over the Air t...
Hacking Air-Gapped Computer With A Simple Cell Phone

Hacking Air-Gapped Computer With A Simple Cell Phone

Jul 27, 2015
Wanna Hack an extremely secure Computer? You do not need sophisticated techniques or equipment to do so. To hack an Air-Gapped computer – All you need is a cell phone; even old-fashioned, dumb phones from the past decade will work. Yes, Hacking Air-Gapped Computers is possible using a basic low-end mobile phone. Israeli security researchers have devised a new attack to steal data from a computer that is isolated from the internet and other computers that are connected to external networks, also known as an air-gapped computer. This new hack attack that could steal data from a highly secured computer uses: The GSM network Electromagnetic waves A basic low-end mobile phone The research was conducted by lead security researcher Mordechai Guri, along with Yuval Elovici, Assaf Kachlon, Ofer Hasson, Yisroel Mirsky, and Gabi Kedma – the same researchers who developed a previous attack that used a smartphone to wirelessly extract data from Air-Gapped computers . ...
Hackers learning new ways to hijack smartphones !

Hackers learning new ways to hijack smartphones !

Jan 12, 2011
How safe is your cell phone? Thieves are coming up with new ways to hijack the most popular smartphones. ABC Action News investigative reporter Michael George enlisted the help of a hacking expert to find out how these programs work, and how to beat them. Droids, iPhones, and BlackBerries are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to smartphones. The phones are wildly popular right now. USF student Marilyn Rodriguez says her whole life is on her phone. “I love my phone. It gets me through classes. I keep track of my schedule, my homework assignments,” she said. More and more consumers are using their phones for things they used to do on their home computers. That includes tasks that require private, financial information, like online banking and shopping. The problem is, hackers are starting to figure this out, too. Stratum Security consultant Justin Morehouse is an expert in the methods used by hackers and identity thieves. It’s his job to anticipate what the bad guys will ...
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5 Cloud Security Risks You Can’t Afford to Ignore

websiteSentinelOneEnterprise Security / Cloud Security
Get expert analysis, attacker insights, and case studies in our 2025 risk report.
cyber security

Red Report 2026: Analysis of 1.1M Malicious Files and 15.5M Actions

websitePicus SecurityAttack Surface / Cloud Security
New research shows 80% of top ATT&CK techniques now target evasion to remain undetected. Get your copy now.
Drones Spying on Cell Phone Users for Advertisers

Drones Spying on Cell Phone Users for Advertisers

Mar 05, 2015
Do you know, apart from United States National Security Agency (NSA) , Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and law enforcement, a few advertising companies are also monitoring unsuspecting users' cell phone data with the help of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS) called Drones. Yes it’s True! A Singapore-based advertising firm AdNear , which described itself as "the leading location intelligence platform," is using a number of small drones flying around the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles since early February in order to track Wi-Fi and cellular transmission signals. ADNEAR DRONES TRACKS YOU EVERYWHERE The drones have ability to sniff out device’ cellular or wireless Internet signals, which is then identify by device ID. Using this gathered information, the drones track each and every movements and behaviors of individual users. Generally, the reason behind spying on people's cell phone signals is the company’s interest to deliver hyper-targe...
New LTE Network Flaw Could Let Attackers Impersonate 4G Mobile Users

New LTE Network Flaw Could Let Attackers Impersonate 4G Mobile Users

Feb 26, 2020
A group of academics from Ruhr University Bochum and New York University Abu Dhabi have uncovered security flaws in 4G LTE and 5G networks that could potentially allow hackers to impersonate users on the network and even sign up for paid subscriptions on their behalf. The impersonation attack — named " IMPersonation Attacks in 4G NeTworks " (or IMP4GT ) — exploits the mutual authentication method used by the mobile phone and the network's base station to verify their respective identities to manipulate data packets in transit. "The IMP4GT attacks exploit the missing integrity protection for user data, and a reflection mechanism of the IP stack mobile operating system. We can make use of the reflection mechanism to build an encryption and decryption oracle. Along with the lack of integrity protection, this allows to inject arbitrary packets and to decrypt packets," the researchers explained. The research was presented at the Network Distributed System Se...
Hackers can spy on your calls and track location, using just your phone number

Hackers can spy on your calls and track location, using just your phone number

Apr 19, 2016
In Brief The famous ‘60 Minutes’ television show shocked some viewers Sunday evening when a team of German hackers demonstrated how they spied on an iPhone used by U.S. Congressman, then recorded his phone calls and tracked his movement through Los Angeles. Hackers leverage a security flaw in SS7 (Signalling System Seven) protocol that allows hackers to track phone locations, listen in on calls and text messages. The global telecom network SS7 is still vulnerable to several security flaws that could let hackers and spy agencies listen to personal phone calls and intercept SMSes on a potentially massive scale, despite the most advanced encryption used by cellular networks. All one need is the target's phone number to track him/her anywhere on the planet and even eavesdrop on the conversations. SS7 or Signalling System Number 7 is a telephony signaling protocol used by more than 800 telecommunication operators around the world to exchange information with one ...
How to Hack Facebook Account Just by Knowing Phone Number

How to Hack Facebook Account Just by Knowing Phone Number

Jun 15, 2016
Hacking Facebook account is one of the major queries on the Internet today. It's hard to find — how to hack Facebook account or facebook messenger, but researchers found a way that can allow someone to hack Facebook account passwords with only the target's phone number and some resources. Yes, your Facebook profile can be hacked, no matter how strong your password is or how much extra security measures you have taken. No joke! Hackers with resources to exploit SS7 network can hack your Facebook login and all they need is your phone number. The weaknesses in the part of global telecom network SS7 that not only let hackers and spy agencies listen to personal phone calls and intercept SMSes on a potentially massive scale but also let them hijack social media accounts to which you have provided your phone number. SS7 or Signalling System Number 7 is a cell phone signaling protocol that is being used by more than 800 telecommunication operators worldwide to exchange i...
How Did 50 Female Celebrities Get Hacked ?

How Did 50 Female Celebrities Get Hacked ?

Mar 19, 2011
Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, Christina Aguilera Reportedly Hit; Some Had Nude Photos FBI agents are reportedly closing in on a ring of hackers thought to be responsible for stealing nude photos and videos from at least 50 female celebrities. According to TMZ.com, the ring broke into the accounts of stars' cell phones and other computerized devices to obtain the compromising photos and videos. Among the celebrities reportedly hacked: Jessica Alba, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Christina Aguilera, Vanessa Hudgens, Scarlett Johansson, Ali Larter, and Miley Cyrus. TMZ reported that Hudgens met with FBI agents on Thursday to discuss the hacking of her Gmail account. The FBI declined ABCNews.com's requests for comment; representatives for Hudgens did not immediately respond. One report suggested that Alexa Nikolas, an actress on the now-canceled Nickelodeon TV series "Zoey 101," is responsible for leaking one of the personal photos, a shot of her kissing Hudgens. ...
Emailrevealer.com Launches New Email Hacking Investigation service !

Emailrevealer.com Launches New Email Hacking Investigation service !

Feb 18, 2011
EmailRevealer.com  the Colorado based private investigation firm specializing in cyber stalking intervention and email tracing, has added Email Hacking Investigations to their investigative tool box. EmailRevealer's Email Hacking Investigations, available through their web site at  www.emailrevealer.com , can monitor a clients email account, identify any unauthorized access to that account and obtain identifying information to locate and or identify the person hacking into that email account and invading the account owners privacy. Ed Opperman, President Of Opperman Investigations Inc the owner of  EmailRevealer.com , shares how these new advancements in email account security were developed. - "We have probably spent more man hours investigating emails than any other PI agency on Earth. We investigate cyber stalkers, Internet defamation and even developed a unique investigation service where we can trace an email back to a secret online personals ad on a dating s...
Malware And Hacking Forum Seized, Dozens Arrested

Malware And Hacking Forum Seized, Dozens Arrested

Jul 16, 2015
The FBI and other law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 70 people suspected of carrying out cyber criminal activities associated with one of the most active underground web forums known as Darkode . Darkode , also used by notorious Lizard Squad , was an online bazaar for cyber criminals looking to buy and sell hacking tools, botnet tools, zero-day exploits, ransomware programs, stolen credit cards, spam services and many illicit products and services. Darkode had been in operation since 2007 before law enforcement authorities seized it this week as part of an investigation carried out in 20 different countries. "We have dismantled a cyber-hornet's' nest...which was believed by many, including the hackers themselves, to be impenetrable," said U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton . The crackdown, which the FBI dubbed Operation Shrouded Horizon , was initiated two years ago by its counterparts in Europe, Brazil and law enforcement agencies in more...
UK Vodafone Phone Hacking method exposed

UK Vodafone Phone Hacking method exposed

Jul 14, 2011
UK Vodafone Phone Hacking method exposed The Hacker's Choice announced a security problem with Vodafone's Mobile Phone Network today. An attacker can listen to any UK Vodafone customer's phone call. An attacker can exploit a vulnerability in 3G/UMTS/WCDMA - the latest and most secure mobile phone standard in use today. Vodafone released its femto cell to the general public. This means anyone can run his own UMTS network in his house. The box connects back via your DSL connection into their mobile network. This is an initial project to gather information about the technology and verify the security. This project started in 2009 together with hackers from the french underground. Read Complete Details Here
Here’s How Hackers Can Hijack Your Online Bitcoin Wallets

Here’s How Hackers Can Hijack Your Online Bitcoin Wallets

Sep 19, 2017
Researchers have been warning for years about critical issues with the Signaling System 7 (SS7) that could allow hackers to listen in private phone calls and read text messages on a potentially vast scale, despite the most advanced encryption used by cellular networks. Despite fixes being available for years, the global cellular networks have consistently been ignoring this serious issue, saying that the exploitation of the SS7 weaknesses requires significant technical and financial investment, so is a very low risk for people. However, earlier this year we saw a real-world attacks, hackers utilised this designing flaw in SS7 to drain victims' bank accounts by intercepting two-factor authentication code (one-time passcode, or OTP) sent by banks to their customers and redirecting it to themselves. If that incident wasn't enough for the global telecoms networks to consider fixing the flaws, white hat hackers from Positive Technologies now demonstrated how cybercriminals ...
Real-World SS7 Attack — Hackers Are Stealing Money From Bank Accounts

Real-World SS7 Attack — Hackers Are Stealing Money From Bank Accounts

May 04, 2017
Security researchers have been warning for years about critical security holes in the Signaling System 7 (SS7) that could allow hackers to listen in private phone calls and read text messages on a potentially vast scale, despite the most advanced encryption used by cellular networks. Cellular networks, on the other hand, have consistently been ignoring this serious issue, saying that it is a very low risk for most people, as the exploitation of the SS7 flaws requires significant technical and financial investment. But some unknown hackers have just proved them wrong by recently exploiting the design flaws in the SS7 to drain victims' bank accounts, according to a report published Wednesday by German-based newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. SS7 is a telephony signaling protocol created in the 1980s by telcos and powered more than 800 telecom operators across the world, including AT&T and Verizon, to interconnect and exchange data, like routing calls and texts with one a...
Florida Sheriff threatens to Arrest 'Rascal' Tim Cook if He Doesn't Unlock the iPhone

Florida Sheriff threatens to Arrest 'Rascal' Tim Cook if He Doesn't Unlock the iPhone

Mar 14, 2016
The legal battle between Apple and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is turning ugly with each passing day. Apple is fighting with the federal authorities over iPhone encryption case . The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) requires Apple’s assistance to unlock an iPhone 5C belonging to San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said explicitly that providing a backdoor would likely open up the company’s iPhones to not just the federal agents, but also to malicious hackers who could use it for evil purposes. Now the Apple's decision not to comply with the court order has provoked a Florida sheriff, who has threatened to arrest Tim Cook if he gets the chance. Sheriff Vows: I'll Lock the Rascal up. During a Wednesday press conference, when Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd was asked about Cook's refusal to help create a custom operating system that would assist the FBI to circumvent security measures on terrorist iPhone ...
Pakistani Man Bribed AT&T Insiders to Plant Malware and Unlock 2 Million Phones

Pakistani Man Bribed AT&T Insiders to Plant Malware and Unlock 2 Million Phones

Aug 06, 2019
United States federal government has charged a Pakistani national for bribing employees at AT&T telecommunication company over a period of five years to help unlock more than 2 million phones and plant malware on the company's network. Muhammad Fahd, a 34-year-old man from Pakistan, was arrested in Hong Kong last year in February at the request of the U.S. government and just extradited to the U.S. on Friday, August 2, 2019. According to an indictment unsealed Monday, Fahd recruited and paid AT&T insiders working at a call center in Bothell, Washington, more than $1 million in bribes between 2012 and 2017 to help them unlock cell phones associated with specified IMEI numbers that otherwise were not eligible to be removed from AT&T's network. Some telecommunication companies, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, sell flagship phones at discounted prices, but it comes with locked SIMs that prevent users from switching their network service for any...
Europol Arrests 26 SIM Swapping Fraudsters For Stealing Over $3 Million

Europol Arrests 26 SIM Swapping Fraudsters For Stealing Over $3 Million

Mar 16, 2020
Europol, along with the Spanish and the Romanian national police, has arrested 26 individuals in connection with the theft of over €3.5 million ($3.9 million) by hijacking people's phone numbers via SIM swapping attacks. The law enforcement agencies arrested 12 and 14 people in Spain and Romania, respectively, as part of a joint operation against two different groups of SIM swappers, Europol said . The development comes as SIM swapping attacks are emerging as one of the biggest threats to telecom operators and mobile users alike. The increasingly popular and damaging hack is a clever social engineering trick used by cybercriminals to persuade phone carriers into transferring their victims' cell services to a SIM card under their control. The SIM swap then grants attackers access to incoming phone calls, text messages, and one-time verification codes (or one-time passwords ) that various websites send via SMS messages as part of the two-factor authentication (2FA) proc...
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