How Government use Zero-Click Hack to Infiltrate Phones
Tags: cybersecurity, mobile, security, programming
Published: 2023-05-10 12:23:10

Zero-Click hacks are a new form of cyber attack requiring no user interaction.</span></p>

</div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in software or devices to gain access to sensitive information, often without the victim even realizing it. </span></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<h4 data-usually-unique-id="282513656169024439029145"><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">How Does a Zero Click Hack Work?</span></h4>
</div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Zero-click hacks work by exploiting vulnerabilities in software or devices. These vulnerabilities can be found in anything from web browsers and operating systems to messaging apps and smart home devices. Attackers use various techniques to gain access to these vulnerabilities, such as reverse engineering or fuzz testing.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<h4><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Examples of zero-click hacks</span></h4>
</div>
<ul class="listtype-bullet listindent1 list-bullet1">
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Pegasus spyware: Pegasus is a powerful tool that can spy on people's phones. It was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group and has been used to target journalists, activists, and government officials.</span></li>
</ul>
<div></div>
<ul class="listtype-bullet listindent1 list-bullet1">
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">iMessage vulnerability: In 2021, Apple patched a vulnerability that could have been used to exploit iPhones without user interaction. The vulnerability was exploited by a group of hackers who were targeting journalists and activists.</span></li>
</ul>
<div></div>
<ul class="listtype-bullet listindent1 list-bullet1">
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">WhatsApp voice call vulnerability: In 2021, WhatsApp patched a vulnerability in its voice call feature that could have been used to exploit Android devices without user interaction. The vulnerability was exploited by a group of hackers who were targeting journalists and activists.</span></li>
</ul>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Let's discuss the Pegasus spyware and why it is one of the deadliest Zero Click Hacking Software. </span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">The </span><span class="attrlink url author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"><a class="attrlink" href="https://www.nsogroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" data-target-href="https://www.nsogroup.com/">Pegasus spyware</a></span><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"> is one of the most powerful tools that has been hidden from the public and is currently used to perform this hack. </span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Pegasus spyware is a powerful piece of spyware that can be used to spy on people's phones. It was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group and has been used to target journalists, activists, and government officials.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Pegasus works by exploiting vulnerabilities in software to gain access to a device. Once it has gained access, it can steal data, record calls, and even turn on the device's microphone and camera without the user's knowledge.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Pegasus is a very sophisticated piece of software that is difficult to detect. It is also very expensive, with reports suggesting it can cost up to $5 million per license.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Pegasus spyware was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Herzliya, Israel. NSO Group is a privately held company whose ownership is not publicly disclosed.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">NSO Group sells Pegasus spyware to governments around the world. The company claims that Pegasus is only used for law enforcement and national security. However, there is evidence that Pegasus has been used to target journalists, activists, and political opponents.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">In 2021, a consortium of news organizations published a report that found that Pegasus had been used to target over 50,000 people in 50 countries. The report found that Pegasus had been used to target journalists, activists, and government officials in countries including Mexico, India, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class="attrlink url author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"><a class="attrlink" href="http://Pegasus spyware was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Herzliya, Israel. NSO Group is a privately held company and its ownership is not publicly disclosed. NSO Group sells Pegasus spyware to governments around the world. The company claims that Pegasus is only used for law enforcement and national security purposes. However, there is evidence that Pegasus has been used to target journalists, activists, and political opponents." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" data-target-href="http://Pegasus spyware was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Herzliya, Israel. NSO Group is a privately held company and its ownership is not publicly disclosed. NSO Group sells Pegasus spyware to governments around the world. The company claims that Pegasus is only used for law enforcement and national security purposes. However, there is evidence that Pegasus has been used to target journalists, activists, and political opponents.">Aljazeera</a></span><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"> ran a </span><span class="attrlink url author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"><a class="attrlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6VxWBXuEGM" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" data-target-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6VxWBXuEGM">documentary</a></span><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"> on the software and how it was used to hack into a journalist's phone without the journalist clicking on any link.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">This raised a big concern about how secure our devices are, whether the security is just mere promises, and if they can be hacked by government or private enterprises with money to buy this software. </span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">The use of Pegasus spyware seriously threatens privacy and human rights. It is important to be aware of Pegasus's risks and take steps to protect yourself.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<h4 data-usually-unique-id="063913015329590707982950"><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">How does Pegasus spyware work?</span></h4>
</div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Pegasus spyware typically enters a target's device through a malicious link or text message. Once the link or message is opened, Pegasus begins to infect the device in the background without indicating to the user that anything is happening.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">The spyware then takes advantage of known vulnerabilities in the device's operating system, allowing the attacker to take control of the device remotely. </span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Once the attacker has control of the device, they can access all of the user's sensitive data and even use the device to conduct further attacks on the user's contacts and network.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<h4 data-usually-unique-id="715637280684778427283897"><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">What are the risks of Pegasus spyware?</span></h4>
</div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">The risks of Pegasus spyware are significant, particularly for businesses and individuals with sensitive data. </span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Once a device is infected with Pegasus, the attacker can access and steal any information stored on the device, including login credentials, financial data, and personal information.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">In addition, Pegasus can also conduct further attacks on the target's network, potentially putting the entire organization at risk. Pegasus has been used in several high-profile attacks, including those against journalists, activists, and politicians.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<h4 data-usually-unique-id="758317823756497702544959"><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">How to mitigate the risks of Pegasus spyware?</span></h4>
</div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">There are several steps that individuals and businesses can take to mitigate the risks of Pegasus spyware:</span></div>
<div></div>
<ul>
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Keep your software up to date: Pegasus takes advantage of known vulnerabilities in operating systems to gain access to a device. Regularly updating software and apps can help patch these vulnerabilities and prevent Pegasus from infecting a device.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<ul class="listtype-indent listindent1 list-indent1">
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication: Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication can help to prevent attackers from gaining access to sensitive data, even if they can infect a device with Pegasus.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul class="listtype-indent listindent1 list-indent1">
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Be careful what links you click on and what files you open: Pegasus typically infects devices through malicious links or attachments. Be cautious when clicking links or opening files from unknown sources, and be wary of any suspicious messages or emails.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul class="listtype-indent listindent1 list-indent1">
 	<li><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Install a security suite with anti-virus and anti-spyware protection: A security suite can help to detect and prevent Pegasus spyware from infecting a device. Regularly scanning devices for malware can also help to catch any infections before they become too severe.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h4><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Conclusion</span></h4>
</div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">Zero-click hacks are a serious threat to security. It is important to be aware of the risks and take steps to protect yourself. By following the tips above, you can help to keep your devices and data safe from attack.</span></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">To read exciting content like this, follow our </span><span class="attrlink url author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"><a class="attrlink" href="http://blog.learnhub.africa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" data-target-href="http://blog.learnhub.africa">blog</a></span><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"> and subscribe to our newsletter. You can check out this article:  </span><span class="attrlink url author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"><a class="attrlink" href="https://blog.learnhub.africa/2023/05/02/zero-trust-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" data-target-href="https://blog.learnhub.africa/2023/05/02/zero-trust-security/">Zero Trust Security</a></span><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"> and </span><span class="attrlink url author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i"><a class="attrlink" href="https://blog.learnhub.africa/2023/02/12/preventing-privilege-escalation-best-practices-for-cybersecurity-professionals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener" data-target-href="https://blog.learnhub.africa/2023/02/12/preventing-privilege-escalation-best-practices-for-cybersecurity-professionals/">Preventing Privilege Escalation: Best Practices for Cybersecurity Professionals</a></span><span class=" author-d-1gg9uz65z1iz85zgdz68zmqkz84zo2qowz80zsz71zp65nz74z73z81zz87zz122z2gz81zz84zz90zz81ztyz73zvd2jz83zpi3i">.