October 9, 2023 at 03:49PM – Operation Behind Predator Mobile Spyware Is ‘Industrial Scale’

October 9, 2023 at 03:49PM

The recent surge in Predator spyware is attributed to Intellexa, an alliance of intelligence systems providers. The analysis by Amnesty International reveals that Intellexa operates an industrial-scale operation that trades surveillance tools across the globe. The report highlights numerous technologies Intellexa uses to intercept and subvert mobile networks, including network injection systems, software exploitation, and encrypted traffic injection. Amnesty International warns that these highly invasive surveillance products are undermining human rights and freedom of the press.

According to the meeting notes, Amnesty International’s Security Labs and the European Investigative Collaboration (EIC) media network have conducted an analysis on the surge in Predator spyware. The analysis reveals that the Predator mobile surveillance tool is being delivered to target Android and iOS devices through a widespread and entrenched grey-area commercial operation. Intellexa, an alliance of intelligence systems providers, is identified as the main purveyor of Predator. Intellexa has been using various supporting products from alliance partners, as well as collaborating with internet service providers (ISPs), to intercept and subvert mobile networks and Wi-Fi technologies. The report by Amnesty International raises concerns about the invasive surveillance products being traded on an industrial scale without oversight or accountability. The report highlights several technologies used by Intellexa, including Mars and Jupiter, network injection systems installed at mobile ISPs that redirect target users to a Pegasus infection server. Triton is another tool that infects Samsung devices by targeting vulnerabilities in baseband software. SpearHead and Alpha-Max are Wi-Fi interception and infection products, while Jasmine is used for deanonymizing encrypted WhatsApp and Signal traffic. Intellexa offers an end-to-end surveillance capability for governments and law enforcement agencies, bundling these technologies together. The US State Department has put Intellexa, Cytrox AD (maker of Predator), and two other alliance members on its list of entities that pose a risk to US national security. Microsoft also mentions the emerging threat posed by cyber mercenary groups like Intellexa in a recent digital defense report.

Full Article – https://ift.tt/7HnK5XD