Ice obtains access to Israeli-made spyware that can hack phones and encrypted apps
Posted by littlepup26@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 62 comments
AbstractWarrior23@reddit
military technology that was once used to oppress people abroad is now being used to oppress people domestically. As capitalism catabolizes and exhausts external resources through imperialism it turns inwards in the form of facism. That's were we're at folks.
Neoliberal_Nightmare@reddit
I'm glad this is becoming a mainstream realisation. Class consciousness is growing as expected.
djconfessions@reddit
You have far too much faith in Americans.
Neoliberal_Nightmare@reddit
Not really but this kind of development is a trend that is a natural reaction to the contradictions of capitalism.
BloodWorried7446@reddit
you think your social media on reddit is really anonymized?
Jung_Wheats@reddit
I don't know how any thinks that anything is private at this point.
My only solace, is that all of these agencies and corporations must be DROWNING in info. I think a lot of these tools are really good for going back and connecting dots after the fact or for helping people fuck over individuals that are already on their radar, but not really good at 'fishing' for people generally.
That's basically how Snowden explained it post Patriot Act and I've hard various 'experts' say the same basic thing in the years since.
If they already wanna fuck you, they can, and if you aren't on their radar, you're probably fine. The default assumption should be that nothing is private, though.
StrangeSeamus@reddit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_boomerang
Logical-Race8871@reddit
Thanks for this link. I have yet heard anything sum-up this phenomenon as succinctly.
SimpleAsEndOf@reddit
Lenin.
AmericanVanguardist@reddit
That will lead to an inevitable revolt and the balkanization of the United States.
Logical-Race8871@reddit
Like it did in Germany. Oh wait that was a world-spanning war. Shit
AmericanVanguardist@reddit
It will be like Yugoslavia in the 1900s. Mass partisan fighting.
InitialAd4125@reddit
Reminds me of some song lyrics I once heard they never build the prisons for just one group when they're done with one group they'll go after another.
Computerist1969@reddit
Slight exaggeration. It can't hack "any" phone. It can hack non up to date iPhones. Hacks do happen of course but someone owning this software doesn't magically get to spy on whoever they like.
SecretPassage1@reddit
I'm no expert so can't talk about *this* app, but there was a documentary a few months back on french TV about private investigators and how they work, and *they said* they 100% can hack any phone with some app found/bought on the dark web.
Same claims : access to everything, sends info, can turn on mic.
Lucky I forget my phone home very often. If there's something on it it won't be picking up anything exciting.
Yebi@reddit
Sounds more like hype marketing of their services than anything real
SecretPassage1@reddit
Would've been my thought too, but the guy was retiring, hence why he accepted to show his face on TV and explain a few of his methods.
But in the end IDK. Could be either, true, or complete BS.
Yebi@reddit
Literally impossible for it to be completely true. You need some kind of a specific vulnerability (which get patched immediately when they stop being someone's closely guarded secret) to break encryption, otherwise bruteforcing it is gonna take a thousand years. A one-stop solution that can break any app or device you throw at it is obvious science fiction.
SecretPassage1@reddit
for sure, I assumed it was used on phones with no password, or similar old fashioned trojan horse files and such. This was PI who did a lot of divorce couple surveillance, not industrial spying ...
AgitatorsAnonymous@reddit
So if you have signal installed the main program that does this has an unpatched zero day that hasn't been corrected that causes it to execute code it reads in real-time. If you have signal installed, Signal includes a bundled bit of code that is harmless unless something reads uour phone. It tjen bricks that device because the code was scanned and ran.
It's a piece of Law Enforcement tech that most PIs use. The company that made it has never patched it. The devices cost about 10K a piece.
If it's just an app, I am calling bullshit.
SecretPassage1@reddit
No idea what app they were referring to. I recall it courd turn on the lens too. And was supposedly "undetectable".
Maybe BS, I honestly don't know. But pros claim they have some and use them, so I assume my devices could be recording everything if I'm on someone's list as a person of interest because I've used a set of key words or whatever.
zefy_zef@reddit
Just iPhones?
misbehavingwolf@reddit
Does a zero day mean that ALL phones are by definition non up to date relative to the zero day?
MdxBhmt@reddit
Yes, it means that. However, a 'commercially' available hackware suite wouldn't be relying on zero days - you would be revealing your secrets on the open and would quickly tip off security researchers. Those are often too valuable to be wasted like that. Relying on (publicly) known exploits and hoping the user is not keeping updates doesn't reveal anything, and you don't make these exploits any less valuable.
anadayloft@reddit
"Zero day" essentially means that the exploit functions on the software (or hardware) from the moment it's released (or even before release). If it's patched on day 2, the exploit only continues to work on systems that haven't recieved that patch.
mooky1977@reddit
good thing android devices are patched monthly, maybe, if you're lucky. /s
rematar@reddit
That sounds slightly more manageable.
Once we find our peaceful time, we plan on floating our phones away.
errie_tholluxe@reddit
I do wonder if they are going to go after rewards apps and Internet of things apps as a way to get the software into your phone as these apps are seldom all that secur
skoalbrother@reddit
OK wheew for a minute there I was worried
ccnmncc@reddit
😂 🍻
Computerist1969@reddit
It's still awful of course and paragon will be looking for new exploits constantly. Luckily good actors also look for exploits and tell apple and Google etc. when they find them to try and keep ahead.
ISRAELSUCKS1234@reddit
always the rotten evil israel
DowntownNobody8@reddit
Has no one here read the Snowden leaks or seen the Snowden movie? This was common knowledge in 2013.
AggravatingMark1367@reddit
First they came for the Palestinians…
DuraoBarroso@reddit
we had exactly this in brazil some time ago
koryjon@reddit
I can literally imagine it being as simple as this:
Step 1. Establish browncoats and ICE throughout the US
Step 2. The government uses AI to scour the internet for people who openly speak out against trump, and publish a list with personal info.
Step 3. We wake up one day to Police, ICE, browncoats arresting people on the list under the pretense that they scoured their devices using this tech and uncovered a plot to harm the president, incite rebellion, etc. Theyre traitors and they go to a detention camp, prison, or get deported.
Ill-Village-699@reddit
love your podcast kory. i enjoyed the ep you did with johnny. would be cool to hear one where you talk with someone who mostly shares your views on collapse
zedroj@reddit
it's already a given, cause they couldn't care about due process
AFewBerries@reddit
Do they need to know your phone # before hacking your phone?
Aurelar@reddit
Paragon is owned by US private equity: https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/16/israeli-spyware-maker-paragon-bought-by-u-s-private-equity-giant/
SecretPassage1@reddit
Reading the title of your post I honestly wondered if this was another promoted link to some game or app, but nope, Guardian article.
sigh.
Photosjhoot@reddit
Enjoy reading my junk mail and looking at my thousands of cat photos.
AgitatedSituation118@reddit
Does it work on non smartphones? Im not sure where to even get an old school talk only cell phone but boy is it starting to look like a good idea.
Codicus1212@reddit
*That every other federal agency has had access to for years, most likely. Don’t get me wrong it’s terrible, but it’s neither unexpected or new.
MellowDCC@reddit
Anything is game when millions of illegal immigrants walked into our country.
Sure a portion of them are great, and I don't blame them for wanting to be here. There is a proper and legal way to be here which helps sift out the bad apples.
Business_Lie9760@reddit
So, this already existed, pre ICE, and was already being used to spy on everyone.
Despite privacy laws, Israel is used as a way to internaytionally invade your provacy, tehn sells the data back to your government that isn't allowed to spy on you.
Thanks, Israel!
Israel has literally helped people like Harvey Weinstein stalk his accusers, murder journalists who opposed soda in schools and trained literal cartel hitmen.
daviddjg0033@reddit
The cat is out of the bag, so to speak: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/08/us/politics/spyware-nso-pegasus-paragon.html?smid=nytcore-android-share NSO and other Spyware apps were being used by Mexico against the cartels years ago - correct me if I am wrong. I remember Stuxnet, a computer virus that destroyed Iranian centrifuges refining uranium and plutonium into weapons-grade nuclear material. After that, the Iranians reverse engineered it (also reminds me of the time a US Reaper drone fell in Iran and now we have Shahed drones terrorizing Ukraine) the Stuxnet virus to try to target other facilities.
daviddjg0033@reddit
The US should be using the CIA to spy on Russia and China. The US should be using the FBI to monitor domestic terrorists like white supremacists and against foreign terrorist organizations.
The US should not be using these apps to monitor US civilians - but since the internet guarantees 0 privacy (see the great Firewall of China) we will be subject to the government monitoring our digital communications: this was part of the Patriot Act if I recall. And why is Tik Tok, the app banned by Congress and signed into law by Biden, still in the app store? Congress should be levying fines against these app stores to the tune of millions of dollars.
cdulane1@reddit
I guess Pegasus taught us nothing
lonehappycamper@reddit
I associate any Israeli technology with trying to blow you up.
NoseyMinotaur69@reddit
Lol this is old news. We gave the tech to Israel in the first place. Only now ICE has it. Yet no one bats an eye at the other three letter terrorist organization, and I'll give you a hint, it starts with a C
eee821@reddit
Supposedly any new phone with the AI chip can already summarize all the content on your phone and send it to 3 letter agencies. I'm not sure cracking the phone is even necessary anymore. Check out some of Rob Braxman's videos on youtube.
JRSSR@reddit
No need to worry... It's not like anyone's phones or electronic devices might suddenly start exploding... 🤯
stupidugly1889@reddit
Another great example of the democrats complicity in this fascist regime. Instead of banning the use of such software they got the ball rolling and handing this weapon to trump.
marswhispers@reddit
Almost like they teed up a whole raft of things for Trump to implement that they wanted but didn’t want to be seen doing…
SomeGuyWithARedBeard@reddit
They were always okay with it being used on everybody else.
New_Anywhere6664@reddit
"read any encrypted information" sounds like bullshit
abstrakt42@reddit
More accurate to say it circumvents protections to access to encrypted information. If you’re viewing encrypted data on your own device, you’ve decrypted it and it’s visible in your running user space. By spying on your user space in real time, a malicious actor can also access that same (already) decrypted data.
But you’re right, there aren’t really any modern apps out that that can magically decrypt data. In a practical sense, though, this still can act a method to gain access to encrypted data. Semantics.
New_Anywhere6664@reddit
Exactly
theCaitiff@reddit
What they don't say is how long it takes.
What they most likely meant however is that once they crack your phone's main lock, any of your end to end encrypted apps like Signal or Whatsapp (encrypted but not really) or any sort of mobile app that uses the phone biometrics or passcode or pattern lock for security will be readable.
If you had actual encrypted files on your phone that will take time. Plugging in a usb-c cable and getting everything you ever wanted in an instant is movie hogwash, but encryption can eventually be broken if you want to throw enough power and time at it.
StatementBot@reddit
The following submission statement was provided by /u/littlepup26:
This is related to collapse because the United States Government just gained access to Paragon which offers one of the most powerful stealth cyber-weapons ever created: Graphite. Paragons spyware program Graphite can hack a phone, track it's location, read it's messages, view it's photos, read any encrypted information on encrypted communication apps, and even turn your phone into a listening device through your phones microphone. The tech used to track and oppress Palestinians has come back home, the imperial boomerang is in full swing.
Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1n7k9nk/ice_obtains_access_to_israelimade_spyware_that/nc80jm0/
littlepup26@reddit (OP)
This is related to collapse because the United States Government just adopted Paragon, whose spyware program Graphite can hack any phone, track it's location, read it's messages, view it's photos, read any encrypted information on encrypted communication apps, and even turn your phone into a listening device through your phones microphone. The tech used to oppress Palestinians has come back home, the imperial boomerang at work.