Swordsmyth
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THE National Security Agency is urging Apple and Android users to change two specific settings on their phones to prevent possible cyberattacks.
The security agency is raising awareness about the linked device and group link settings that could fully clone your text messages on someone else's device.
Signal and WhatsApp users are vulnerable to attack via those two popular features of the apps that make them easier to use but also more vulnerable to exploitation.
Linked devices allow users to access their synced text messages on any of their approved devices.
This means that if you have WhatsApp or Signal on your phone, you can also access those messages on your laptop or iPad.
The group link setting allows users to invite other people to a group chat using a link rather than having to manually add them.
Both features have their perks, but the linked devices setting may prove to be more harmful than beneficial.
If misused or hacked, the feature could allow all of the user's text messages to be synced on an unknown device.
Luckily, it is easy to stop this from happening.
Go to the settings menu and click "Linked Devices."
Under that tab, users can view all of the devices their messages are synced to.
If the user doesn't recognize any of the devices on the list, they can remove their messages from the device.
Users can always re-add devices they unlinked accidentally.
To prevent a similar attack from occurring, users should continuously check what devices are linked to their apps.
Experts also recommend unlinking web apps periodically and relinking them.
The warning comes in light of Google discovering that Russian GRU officials were conning Ukrainian leaders into opening their Signal apps so they can listen in to conversations, Forbes reported.
The Russian phishing attack came in the form of a group link that had been co-opted to link devices to users who clicked on it.
Phishing attacks attempt to persuade users to open links, allowing the attacker to access personal information.
The easiest way to avoid falling victim to phishing attacks is not to click on any unfamiliar links, links you weren't expecting, or links that come from a sender you don't know.
"Phishing isn’t new, and it’s not a flaw in our encryption or any of Signal’s underlying technology," Signal wrote in a statement on X.
"Phishing attacks are a constant threat for popular apps and websites."
Google reported that this threat "extends to other popular messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which are also being actively targeted by Russian-aligned threat groups using similar techniques."
Signal responded to the vulnerabilities memo issued by the Pentagon by installing new in-app warnings.
The app said it constantly looks out for new reports of cyber attacks or fraud.
Users are encouraged to change their passwords or app PINs regularly and not give out any personal information.
More at:
www.the-sun.com
The security agency is raising awareness about the linked device and group link settings that could fully clone your text messages on someone else's device.
Signal and WhatsApp users are vulnerable to attack via those two popular features of the apps that make them easier to use but also more vulnerable to exploitation.
Linked devices allow users to access their synced text messages on any of their approved devices.
This means that if you have WhatsApp or Signal on your phone, you can also access those messages on your laptop or iPad.
The group link setting allows users to invite other people to a group chat using a link rather than having to manually add them.
Both features have their perks, but the linked devices setting may prove to be more harmful than beneficial.
If misused or hacked, the feature could allow all of the user's text messages to be synced on an unknown device.
Luckily, it is easy to stop this from happening.
Go to the settings menu and click "Linked Devices."
Under that tab, users can view all of the devices their messages are synced to.
If the user doesn't recognize any of the devices on the list, they can remove their messages from the device.
Users can always re-add devices they unlinked accidentally.
To prevent a similar attack from occurring, users should continuously check what devices are linked to their apps.
Experts also recommend unlinking web apps periodically and relinking them.
The warning comes in light of Google discovering that Russian GRU officials were conning Ukrainian leaders into opening their Signal apps so they can listen in to conversations, Forbes reported.
The Russian phishing attack came in the form of a group link that had been co-opted to link devices to users who clicked on it.
Phishing attacks attempt to persuade users to open links, allowing the attacker to access personal information.
The easiest way to avoid falling victim to phishing attacks is not to click on any unfamiliar links, links you weren't expecting, or links that come from a sender you don't know.
"Phishing isn’t new, and it’s not a flaw in our encryption or any of Signal’s underlying technology," Signal wrote in a statement on X.
"Phishing attacks are a constant threat for popular apps and websites."
Google reported that this threat "extends to other popular messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which are also being actively targeted by Russian-aligned threat groups using similar techniques."
Signal responded to the vulnerabilities memo issued by the Pentagon by installing new in-app warnings.
The app said it constantly looks out for new reports of cyber attacks or fraud.
Users are encouraged to change their passwords or app PINs regularly and not give out any personal information.
More at:
Code:
https://www.the-sun.com/tech/13914530/nsa-cybersecurity-warning-apple-android/Apple & Android users urged to change 'dangerous' setting now to stop 'cloning'
THE National Security Agency is urging Apple and Android users to change two specific settings on their phones to prevent possible cyberattacks. The security agency is raising awareness about the l…
www.the-sun.com
