A recent investigation by cybersecurity researchers has exposed the misuse of hacking tools sold by little-known Israeli vendor QuaDream. The company’s “Reign” hacking tool seems to be as powerful as the better known “Pegasus” hacking tool made by NSO Group.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a recent investigation found that hacking tools sold by the Israeli vendor QuaDream have been improperly utilized. These tools have been used to secretly access the iPhones of political dissidents and journalists without the user’s knowledge. This discovery has sparked worries about the growing danger that “cyber mercenary” businesses pose to human rights and democracy all over the world.
Apple CEO Tim Cook poses for a goofy selfie ( Justin Sullivan/Getty)
“The explosive growth of private ‘cyber mercenary’ companies poses a threat to democracy and human rights around the world,” warned Amy Hogan-Burney, the General Manager of Microsoft’s Cybersecurity Policy & Protection.
Under the brand name “Reign,” QuaDream’s spyware has been discovered to be just as sophisticated as that of the NSO Group, a contentious Israeli company that has come under fire for its Pegasus hacking tool. Attacks on U.S. officials, journalists, activists, and politicians have been linked to the NSO Group on a global scale.
QuaDream’s software essentially gave attackers complete surveillance capabilities over a user’s device, according to research published by Citizen Lab, a research team at the University of Toronto, and Microsoft. This includes the capacity to take pictures, read messages, and record phone calls. According to Bill Marczak, a researcher with Citizen Lab, QuaDream’s software went to great lengths to hide its traces in the computer code used on infected devices.
“There’s nothing the victim has to do” to be infected, Marczak said, highlighting the gravity of the threat.
Researchers in cybersecurity and governmental organizations continue to keep a close eye on the operations of these “cyber mercenary” companies as the global community struggles to understand the potential risks that these hacking tools may pose.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan