Tag: signal

Germany strongly opposes the new European Union law that would allow the surveillance of all your digital devices

The German government has reiterated its opposition to European Union legislation that would allow the mass scanning of devices to detect child sexual abuse material before applying encryption. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, along with other members of the CDU party, emphasized that this practice is unacceptable in a rule of law. “The mass scanning of private messages must be a taboo in a constitutional state,” Hubig stated in a statement published on Twitter. A controversial law that would not do good to anyone The proposal, which will be put to a vote on the 14 […]

The German government has reiterated its opposition to European Union legislation that would allow the mass scanning of devices to detect child sexual abuse material before encryption is applied. The Minister of Justice, Stefanie Hubig, along with other members of the CDU party, emphasized that this practice is unacceptable in a rule of law. “The mass scanning of private messages must be a taboo in a constitutional state,” Hubig stated in a statement published on Twitter.

A controversial law that would not do good for anyone

The proposal, which will be put to a vote on October 14, has generated controversy in the tech field and among privacy advocates. Hubig has emphasized that Germany will not support such measures in the European context. His statement comes amid a climate of concern following alerts from technology experts and activists warning that the country was reconsidering its position. Jens Spahn, another member of the CDU, compared this measure to opening all letters in search of illegal content, highlighting that a similar action cannot be allowed.

Meredith Whittaker, CEO of Signal, warned that her company could withdraw from Europe if the proposal for mass scanning is approved. She argued that this process would undermine the purpose of encryption and create an unsustainable scenario for digital privacy. According to Whittaker, allowing pre-encryption scanning goes against the very principles that underpin digital security.

Despite Germany’s recent reaffirmation against mass scanning, the debate over encryption resonates throughout Europe and the United States, where for decades ways to limit it have been sought. Governments argue that encryption without access for law enforcement complicates the investigation of serious crimes such as child abuse and terrorism. However, privacy advocates maintain that strong encryption also protects citizens from government retaliation.

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The European Union is preparing to vote on a controversial law to allow them to monitor everything you do on the Internet

The European Union is preparing to vote on October 14 on the proposal known as Chat Control, which seeks to authorize the mass scanning of personal devices for illegal material, specifically related to child sexual exploitation. This initiative, driven by the Danish presidency of the EU, has sparked a strong debate about privacy and digital security in Europe. A law that is not positive for anyone and does not help at all Signal, a popular messaging app with end-to-end encryption, has warned that it could leave the European market if it is approved

The European Union is preparing to vote on October 14 on the proposal known as Chat Control, which seeks to authorize the mass scanning of personal devices for illegal material, specifically related to child sexual exploitation. This initiative, driven by the Danish presidency of the EU, has sparked a strong debate about privacy and digital security in Europe.

A law that is not positive for anyone nor helps in any way

Signal, a popular messaging app with end-to-end encryption, has warned that it could leave the European market if the proposal is approved, arguing that this would significantly compromise the privacy of its users. Signal’s CEO, Meredith Whittaker, expressed her concern on social media, urging German politicians to reconsider their potential support for the measure.

Privacy experts argue that the implementation of ‘Chat Control’ would favor the creation of backdoors in encryption systems, compromising the security of communications for millions of legitimate users, including journalists, activists, and abuse victims. The Chaos Computer Club and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have criticized the client-side scanning approach as invasive and error-prone, warning that it could result in intrusive monitoring that further undermines personal privacy.

The proposal not only focuses on content related to child sexual abuse material, but also leaves open the possibility of using artificial intelligence technologies to scan user content. Although it initially focuses on images and links related to child abuse, the possibility of including the scanning of textual interactions in the future is considered, which could expand the scope of monitoring.

Discussions about Chat Control reflect a long-standing conflict between the authorities’ need to combat online crime and citizens’ right to digital privacy. The outcome of this vote could have significant repercussions not only in Europe but globally, setting a precedent for the handling of privacy in the digital age.

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ProSpy and ToSpy: the latest spyware threats disguised as messaging applications

ESET researchers have recently discovered two families of spyware, identified as ProSpy and ToSpy, that pose as popular messaging applications, Signal and ToTok, apparently targeting residents of the United Arab Emirates. Experts revealed that these malware campaigns were detected in June, although they are believed to date back to early last year. Be very careful with what you install on your mobile ToTok, which had been widely criticized for being a government espionage tool of the UAE, was discontinued in 2020 following an investigation by the New York Times. However, the spyware […]

Researchers from ESET have recently discovered two families of spyware, identified as ProSpy and ToSpy, that impersonate popular messaging applications, Signal and ToTok, apparently targeting residents of the United Arab Emirates. Experts revealed that these malware campaigns were detected in June, although they are believed to date back to early last year.

Be very careful with what you install on your mobile

ToTok, which had been widely criticized for being a spying tool of the UAE government, was discontinued in 2020 following an investigation by the New York Times. However, the spyware is presented as an improved version of that application, called ToTok Pro. When downloading this malware, permissions are requested to access contacts, text messages, and stored files, allowing the leakage of sensitive information, including device data and multimedia content.

It is important to note that the infected applications were not available in the official app stores. Instead, manual installation from third-party sites that mimicked legitimate services was required. For example, one of these malicious sites imitated Samsung’s Galaxy Store, leading users to install fraudulent versions of the ToTok application.

The confirmed detections of this spyware in the UAE, along with the use of phishing techniques and fake app stores, suggest that attackers are carrying out strategic operations focused on this region. This is not the first time a similar phenomenon has been observed, as in the past, ESET has documented the cover-up of malware in fake app updates such as WhatsApp and on sites that pretend to offer Telegram.

According to ESET’s research, since the popularity of the ToTok app was concentrated in the UAE and considering the impersonation tactics used, it is reasonable to think that users in this region are the primary target of spyware campaigns.