iTunes Flaw Allowed Spying On Dissidents 82
Hugh Pickens writes writes "Democracy and free speech activists worldwide have something new to worry about — cyberwarfare via iTunes. The Telegraph reports that Gamma International sells computer hacking services to governments, offering 'zero day' security flaws that allow access to target computers 'with the ability to take control of the target systems functions to the point of capturing encrypted data and communications.' FinFisher spyware, known to be used by British agencies and offered to Egypt's feared secret police, takes advantage of an unencrypted HTTP request that is filed by iTunes when Apple Software Updater is inactive. It redirects users' web browsers to a customized web page that pretends Flash is not installed on the user's computer, then installs a sophisticated piece of spyware that sends info on a user's activities directly to foreign intelligence services. The latest iTunes software update, 10.5.1, released on November 14, appears to have fixed the exploit FinFisher used. A prominent security researcher warned Apple about this dangerous vulnerability in mid-2008, yet Apple 'waited more than 1,200 days to fix the flaw,' writes security researcher Brian Krebs."
Re:Conspiracy! (Score:1, Insightful)
Conspiracy? That sounds more like fact.
Re:Liability (Score:5, Insightful)
There's really only one solution: hold software makers libel for security vulnerabilities
The real answer is that dissidents need to start being more paranoid and more technically literate. A system that is used for personal entertainment should be kept physically separated from a system that is used to communicate with fellow dissidents.
Re:That's funny... (Score:5, Insightful)
I love how people here are focussing on iTunes and not the fact that British agencies are supplying the Egyptian secret police with software to nab dissidents. Seriously, WTF ?
Black hats (Score:4, Insightful)
Gamma International sells computer hacking services to governments, offering 'zero day' security flaws
These are the real blackhats - most 'hackers' don't sell their services to get people killed. Legalized blackhats, perhaps, but blackhats nonetheless.