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Nasty spyware fingered in state “misuse” (again)

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Richi Jennings Your humble blogwatcher, dba RJA
Benito Juarez
 

Infamous Israeli spyware supremos NSO Group allegedly helped the Mexican government spy on its citizens. We’re told NSO furnished Mexico with Pegasus, its equally infamous zero-day-wielding Trojan—also said to be used by the United Arab Emirates, Panama, and Mozambique, among other govs.

A loose group of concerned citizenry, plus Canada’s Citizen Lab, has been unpicking the secret deals and spying shenanigans. It has alleged that the victims include journalists, activists, and whistleblowers.

Which is, uhhm, more than a little worrying. In this week’s Security Blogwatch, we wonder where it’ll all end.

Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: How to walk 


What’s the craic? Azam Ahmed and Nicole Perlroth break the story—Government Spyware Targets Mexican Journalists:

Mexico’s most prominent human rights lawyers, journalists and anti-corruption activists have been targeted by advanced spyware. … At least three Mexican federal agencies have purchased … spyware [from] an Israeli cyberarms manufacturer … the NSO Group [but] with an explicit agreement that it be used only to battle … criminal groups.

The deployment of sophisticated cyberweaponry against citizens [raises] profound legal and ethical questions. … Several former Mexican intelligence officials … said illegal surveillance is standard practice. [But] in a statement … the government “categorically denies that any of its members engages in surveillance or communications operations … without prior judicial authorization.”

There is no ironclad proof that the Mexican government is responsible. … But cyberexperts can verify when the software has been used … leaving them with few doubts that the Mexican government, or some rogue actor within it, was involved.


Those are some serious allegations. But says who? Let’s ask Kieren McCarthy, to be sure—Mexican government accused of illegal phone hacking of citizens:

R3D, SocialTic, Article 19 and CitizenLab report that the government has been sending malware links to specific individuals' phones … even moving on to their family members if they are not duped. … The malware works by exploiting zero-day holes in … iOS and Android. … The targets of these efforts … include journalists reporting on corruption, as well as investigators and human rights lawyers.

The investigators are confident that the messages sent to the Mexican journalists and lawyers came from the government. [It] all leads back to the age-old piece of advice: never click on anything you aren't sure about.


Wise words, obvs. Citizen Lab’s director, Ronald Deibert, alleges that Mexico Wages Cyber Warfare:

For years, Citizen Lab has been sounding alarms about the abuse of commercial spyware. … Surveillance technology, allegedly restricted to government agencies for criminal, terrorism, and national security investigations, [is] being deployed against civil society.

Working with Mexican civil society partners … our team … identified more than 75 SMS messages [that] contained links to … “Pegasus” … the exploit infrastructure of a secretive Israeli cyber warfare company, NSO Group. … [It] allows operators to surreptitiously … turn on the camera, capture ambient sounds, intercept or spoof emails and text messages, circumvent end-to-end encryption, and track movements.

What is most disturbing is that the minor child of one of the targets … received at least 22 SMS messages … purporting to be from the US Embassy … while he was attending school in the United States. … Impersonating the US Government is a violation of the US Criminal Code. … How will the United States Government respond?


How, indeed? The pseudonymous redelm has this suggestion:

The appropriate and usual US sanction … is listing of the offenders in the US Federal Register as "Denied Parties". This forbids any US entity/subsidiary from any dealings or "facilitation" of their transactions.

What it doesn't freeze outright, it costs at least 10% more to skirt. [But] what do you want to bet the US DoC/DoJ does no such thing?


No more bets, please. Jonah Libster spins the wheel of misfortune:

We seem to be having a world government trend with attacking reporters who expose their nations problems. … It's creepy how many nations are using [these] tactics to control the contents of reporters.

The question is, when is the public going to take the governments to task for this sort of behaviour.


Just how big is this story? Daniel Peña‏ tweets thuswise:

This story is huge.


Thanks for clearing that up for us. European parliamentarian Marietje Schaake goes Dutch[You’re fired -Ed.]

Impressive work by Citizen Lab who once more uncover how surveillance technologies proliferate and are used to violate human rights.


Meanwhile, GrapeBunch checks the calendar:

What a world we live in.

Benito Juárez "El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz." -- "Respect for the rights of others is peace." The 15th of July marks the 150th anniversary of that quote, featured prominently in and around public buildings across Mexico.

And finally…

How to walk 100 different ways



Hat tip: Mark Frauenfelder


You have been reading Security Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites … so you don’t have to. Hatemail may be directed to @RiCHi or sbw@richi.uk.

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