According to a new report by Amnesty International, officials in Serbia installed spyware on the phones of dozens of journalists and activists, also utilizing technology from Israeli surveillance company Cellebrite DILtd.
Specifically, in two cases, software provided by Israeli company Cellebrite DI was used to unlock phones before infection with Serbian spyware.
The Serbian spyware, dubbed “NoviSpy” by Amnesty International, secretly took screenshots on targets’ mobile devices, copied contacts and uploaded them to a government-controlled server.
See also: Gamaredon hackers use BoneSpy & PlainGnome spyware
"In several cases, activists and one journalist reported signs of suspicious activity on their mobile phones immediately after interviews with Serbian police and security authorities," Amnesty International said.
Israeli company Cellebrite's technology is often used by law enforcement to unlock suspects' smartphones and search them for evidence. Cellebrite's chief marketing officer, David Gee, said it was investigating Amnesty International's allegations.
“If these allegations are accurate, this could potentially violate the end-user license agreement,” Gee told Reuters. If that were the case, Cellebrite could be suspended from using its technology by Serbian authorities.
One of the activists, featured in the report, said that the contacts on his phone had been extracted immediately after a meeting with the BIA.
The activist told Reuters that he showed his phone to digital forensics experts, who discovered that the spyware had exported their contacts and sent private photos from the device to a server controlled by the BIA.
According to Amnesty International, Serbia received phone-cracking devices from Cellebrite as part of a broader aid package designed to help Serbia meet the requirements for European Union membership.
See also: EagleMsgSpy: A spyware used by Chinese authorities
This package, funded by the Norwegian government, was provided to the Serbian Ministry of Interior from 2017 to 2021 in order to help Serbia fight organized crime.
The Norwegian government temporarily halted the delivery of Cellebrite devices to Serbia in 2018. According to the report, the Norwegian embassy in Belgrade also expressed concerns about the program, but the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) eventually delivered the devices in June 2019.
“ The allegations made in the report are disturbing and, if true, unacceptable ,” Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister Maria Varteressian told Reuters . “ We will meet with the Serbian authorities as well as UNOPS later this month to get more information on the matter .”
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Spyware protection
One of the most effective ways to protect yourself is to use reputable security. These programs scan your device for spyware and remove it. They also offer real-time protection, alerting you when an app tries to install spyware on your device.
It's also important to keep your operating system and all programs up to date. These updates often include security fixes that can help protect your computer from spyware.
See also: New Android spyware found on seized phone
Another important tip is to be careful with the emails and messages you receive. This software is often spread through phishing, where attackers try to convince you to click on a malicious link or open a dangerous attachment.
Finally, it's important to always have backups of your important files. While this won't protect you directly, it will help you recover your data if your device is compromised.
Source: www.yahoo.com
