A new security report has uncovered an espionage campaign linked to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, targeting Android and iOS users. The researchers have said that the hackers used known vulnerabilities in mobile operating systems to access sensitive information on victims’ devices.
Russia-linked hackers run an espionage campaign against iOS and Android users
Researchers at cybersecurity firm Sekoia said that they’re confident that attackers were connected to part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. Hackers reportedly targeted visitors to several websites, including America250.org, which was created to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
As per the information, the group created a fake website with a similar-looking domain. They also used the same website content to trap victims into believing that it was the original site. Moreover, they added malicious JavaScript code to the web page to collect information about visitors’ devices.
Attackers used a fake website to collect the personal information of the victims
Further, the report reveals that the group used invitation-themed phishing messages to bring individuals to these fake websites. That’s not all: fake calendar invitations, event notifications, and similar messages were also used to direct potential victims to malicious pages.
Once victims visited such websites, a hidden JavaScript code was used to detect their devices and browsers. The information collected helped the attackers decide which of the three zero-click exploit chains to use. What’s even more concerning is that such exploits do not require victims to click a link or take any further action. They collect information such as browser cookies, Wi-Fi passwords, and other private data stored on the mobile.
Vulnerabilities used in the attacks were identified as n-day flaws. This means the security loopholes were already known and had been addressed through software updates. However, phones that have not received the relevant updates can still be exposed to these attacks. Both iOS and Android users should therefore install available security updates.
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