Hi guys,
Perhaps, In light of the NSA’s recent disclosure of Russia’s top-tier cyber surveillance tool, known as “Snake,” the Russian government has accused the United States of orchestrating a large-scale espionage operation. They allege that this operation has compromised, and continues to compromise, thousands of iPhones globally with sophisticated spyware.
The spying campaign was first detected by the Moscow-based Kaspersky Labs, which reported that over a dozen of its employees’ devices were infected with the spyware. Russia’s Federal Security Service, the FSB, has controversially claimed that Apple is colluding with the U.S. government to facilitate the infection of Apple devices. However, there’s no concrete evidence supporting this claim.
The spyware, dubbed “Triangulation,” can breach any iPhone without requiring user action. It initiates infection by attaching itself to the target iPhone when an iMessage is sent to the device. The iPhone only needs to receive this message to be infected. Remarkably, the iMessage self-deletes after delivering the payload and exploiting the device, leaving no trace.
In my view, this level of spyware sophistication typically indicates state-sponsored operations. I observe that Triangulation appears to surpass Pegasus, an infamous Israeli spyware, in terms of power. But again, it’s important to note that there’s no hard evidence proving this spyware’s American origins or that Apple is cooperating with the U.S. government. Regardless, we’re clearly facing a significant security issue related to iPhone invasions, with increasing discoveries of zero-day vulnerabilities.
For more details, you can read the full article HERE. However, as an iPhone user, there’s currently no fail-safe method to protect against this kind of attack. The best precaution might be disabling iMessage, which could significantly disrupt your communications. So, it’s a matter of personal choice.
We urge you to exercise caution in your online activities and the media stored on your phone. It’s prudent to operate on the assumption that the contents of your phone could be remotely accessed. This even extends to using encrypted apps like Signal or Telegram. If Triangulation is present on your phone, it can extract information from your device before it gets encrypted. Be vigilant and assume your communications may not be private.
Regrettably, the situation is worrying. However, staying informed is better than being unaware. Our privacy care team is available 24/7 if you need any assistance. Remember, the notion that iPhones are more secure than Android devices is becoming increasingly questionable.
Stay safe.
Max Roberts.