The new malware Aladdin infects your phone without a click or download being necessary. The smartphone then becomes part of a global spy network.
The Aladdin malware is a major threat. (Source: solarseven/depositphotos.com)
There are many different ways cybercriminals spread malware to infect your smartphone or computer. In addition to phishing emails, prepared apps or malware in documents are common approaches. A new malware could pose a particular challenge for cybersecurity in the future due to the way it is spread.
The software called Aladdin is said to be able to infect smartphones completely unnoticed via online advertising such as banners. A click or download is not necessary. This type of attack is called a zero-click exploit. As soon as the prepared advertisement has been loaded in the browser, it is already too late and the malware is on your iPhone or Android cell phone. The spyware then collects all the data it can and sends it back to the attackers.
Like the Greek magazine Inside Story and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz uncovered the development of Aladdin. However, it is not clear from the company documents available to them whether the malware is already on the market.
However, an extensive test that confirms that the software works as expected (proof of concept) has already been carried out. The banners contained job offers that were primarily aimed at graphic designers and activists. Their cell phones should be infected and monitored.
4 million euros for software
Behind the technology is the Intellexa Alliance, which has already developed the powerful state trojan Predator. This recently spread via a vulnerability in iOS and is often used to spy on government bodies.
In 2018, Israeli ex-officer Tal Dilian founded Intellexa Alliance together with colleagues from the Israeli military and secret service. The headquarters of the company conglomerate is located in Ireland under the name Thalestris. Subsidiaries are also located in Greece, Switzerland, Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands.
The sources from Inside Story and Haaretz say that Intellexa offers a complete package with 50 infections including a one-year guarantee and 24-hour support for four million euros. However, Aladdin is not yet included in this package. The attack is limited to local numbers in the target country. The offer is not available for telephone numbers from the USA, Greece and Israel in order to avoid sanctions.
- ” Tip: The best VPN providers for more security and data protection
- ยป Buy balcony power plant: Comparison of the best solar systems
Don’t miss anything with this NETWORK WORLDNewsletter
Every Friday: The most informative and entertaining summary from the world of technology!
Pair Apple Health with Samsung Health That’s how it’s done