Recently, groups hackinghave increasingly targeted mobile devices to either spy, gather information , or sabotage specific targets.
These hacking groups use malware for mobile devices and mainly target dissidents, journalists and others. Until now, these attacks were not very common. But a study has shown that there has been an increase in recent times.
The shift to mobile devices is driven by both increased security and inadequate smartphone protection. Typically, users focus on computer security, even though their phones contain a lot of personal data.
Additionally, the GPS of mobile devices can give the attacker their precise location, which could also pose a physical threat to the victim user.
Crowdstrike researchers analyzed current trends in attacks targeting Android and iOS users (Mobile Threat Landscape Report). They observed that the increase in government-originated campaigns targeting mobile devices is one of the biggest trends.
Hacking groups working on behalf of China, North Korea, India, Pakistan and other countries are distributing malware on mobile devicesto track individuals both within and across borders.
For example, the Russian hacking group Fancy Bear has used the spyware X-Agent, which can run on Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
Of course, hackers can also monitor the various applicationsthat victims have on their mobile phones.
There are many reasons why a state would target mobile devices. It can gain access to communications and messages through apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Skype.
Most "ordinary" citizens are unlikely to fall victim to government hacking . However, it is a good idea to take some measures to protect themselves from other threats as well.
For example, users should be careful about what apps they download and from where. Also, special attention should be paid to apps that request a lot of permissions. Many malicious apps request permissions that they don't need in order to distribute malware .Also, apps that are not being used should be deleted. It's the safest thing a person can do.
