Israeli Soldiers Tricked Into Installing Malware By Hamas Agents Posing As Women (zdnet.com) 24
An anonymous reader quotes a report from ZDNet: Members of the Hamas Palestinian militant group have posed as young teenage girls to lure Israeli soldiers into installing malware-infected apps on their phones, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said today. Some soldiers fell for the scam, but IDF said they detected the infections, tracked down the malware, and then took down Hamas' hacking infrastructure. IDF said Hamas operatives created Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram accounts and then approached IDF soldiers. According to IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Hild Silberman, Hamas agents posed as new Israeli immigrants in order to excuse their lacking knowledge of the Hebrew language.
Gen. Silberman said the apps would give the impression they can't run on soldiers' phones by showing a crash message. The apps would then delete their icons from the soldier's smartphone, tricking the user into thinking the app uninstalled itself. However, the app would keep running in the background. The malicious apps would then exfiltrate photos, SMS messages, contacts, and more. The apps could also install other malware on the device, track the phone's geo-location in real-time, and even take screenshots via the phone's camera. Israeli cyber-security firm Check Point says the malware belongs to a group it's been tracking under the codename of APT-C-23, active since the summer of 2018.
Gen. Silberman said the apps would give the impression they can't run on soldiers' phones by showing a crash message. The apps would then delete their icons from the soldier's smartphone, tricking the user into thinking the app uninstalled itself. However, the app would keep running in the background. The malicious apps would then exfiltrate photos, SMS messages, contacts, and more. The apps could also install other malware on the device, track the phone's geo-location in real-time, and even take screenshots via the phone's camera. Israeli cyber-security firm Check Point says the malware belongs to a group it's been tracking under the codename of APT-C-23, active since the summer of 2018.
Slashdot editors tricked (Score:5, Funny)
...into posting yet another duplicate article.
Re: (Score:2)
"...into posting yet another duplicate article."
The bearded militants who won an Oscar for posing as teenage girls were foreigners, this must be the US Remake.
Again? (Score:5, Funny)
I can't believe they fell for the same trick again so soon!
This just in... (Score:5, Insightful)
"Hamas Agents Posing As Women"
Uh, they _were_ women.
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Hey... I was just trying to figure out how the app took screenshots with the phone's camera.... =)
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Uh, they _were_ women.
That's what they want you to think!
Re: (Score:2)
Only on a few days every month. Just like any women.
Posing as women? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I'm picturing the crew of Monty Python when they dressed as women, except with beards and IEDs.
Re: (Score:3)
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The Holy Hand Grenade of Palestine!
Again? (Score:2)
Boy, one should have thought that they learn after the first time. Fool me once and all that...
Free Occupied Palestine. (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
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That implies that the camera bends the light almost 180 degrees.
FTFY
Slashdot Editors Tricked Into - (Score:1)
Android fail? (Score:2)
Why does Android allow apps to remove their Icon?!