Malicious websites that hacked into iPhones over 2-year period targeted Uyghur Muslims in China: Report
A number of malicious websites that were recently reported to have been secretly hacking into iPhones over a two-year period were in fact targeting Uyghur Muslims, Zack Whittaker of TechCrunch reports today.
Android and Windows users were also targeted in the same watering hole attacks affecting iPhone users, Thomas Brewster later reported at Forbes.
The entity which would be presumed most likely behind such an attack is the government of China, or an entity working for the government’s interests — so there’s been much speculation the attacker is China.
Zack Whittaker✔@zackwhittaker · Sep 1, 2019
Exclusive: Malicious websites used to quietly hack into iPhones over the past two years was an effort by China to target Uyghur Muslims. https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com
Some questions remain. Exactly what the FBI’s role in this remains unknown. And were Android users also targeted by the same campaign?613:25 AM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy21 people are talking about this
But no proof in the code found. And some doubt it was China.
Good reporting by Techcrunch here. Not PR for Apple or China, or conspiracy mongering.
Read the TechCrunch article, and check out some of the analysis on Twitter below from infosec folks.
[via Techmeme, images: Shutterstock]
Zack Whittaker✔@zackwhittakerReplying to @zackwhittaker
New: @iblametom has confirmed that Android and Windows users were *also* targeted in the same watering hole attacks affecting iPhone users. https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/09/01/iphone-hackers-caught-by-google-also-targeted-android-and-microsoft-windows-say-sources/ …iPhone Hackers Caught By Google Also Targeted Android And Microsoft Windows, Say SourcesThe unprecedented attack on Apple iPhones last week was broader than first thought. There could be many more victims using Microsoft software too.forbes.com717:05 PM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy61 people are talking about this
Zack Whittaker✔@zackwhittaker · Sep 1, 2019
Exclusive: Malicious websites used to quietly hack into iPhones over the past two years was an effort by China to target Uyghur Muslims. https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com
I’m going to be the odd one here and say this isn’t right. So far China has had complete control of the Uyghurs using physical means and coercion. Their entire lives are controlled so why go this route when you will get burned (china doesn’t like people knowing internal stuff)116:48 PM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Daniel Cuthbert’s other Tweets
Zack Whittaker✔@zackwhittaker · Sep 1, 2019
Exclusive: Malicious websites used to quietly hack into iPhones over the past two years was an effort by China to target Uyghur Muslims. https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com
I cannot find anywhere in this article *any* sourcing for the assertion the hack was by China, or to target Uyghur Muslims.
* Did someone on Project Zero *say* that? Not in the article.
* Was there some content in the notice which *says* that?
Where did you get this from?53:58 PM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Robert Rutledge’s other Tweets
Uyghur muslims, the poortest ethnic group in China, running around with shinny new iPhones? Plus they are already under heavy surveillance.
The Chinese already make them install spyware by force. See 2017 story: https://mashable.com/2017/07/21/china-spyware-xinjiang/ … https://twitter.com/riskybusiness/status/1168368900519497730 …China forces its Muslim minority to install spyware on their phonesThe instruction was sent out to residents in Xinjiang, home to millions of Muslim people.mashable.comPatrick Gray@riskybusinessOk, so back to infosec now: @zackwhittaker published a s story claiming those ZOMG iOS 0day chains were being used by the Chinese government to target Uyghur muslims. There are doubters, but his story lines up with what I’ve heard as well. Just sayin’..https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur/ …126:47 AM – Sep 2, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Matt Suiche’s other Tweets
Ok, so back to infosec now: @zackwhittaker published a s story claiming those ZOMG iOS 0day chains were being used by the Chinese government to target Uyghur muslims. There are doubters, but his story lines up with what I’ve heard as well. Just sayin’..https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur/ …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com156:43 AM – Sep 2, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Patrick Gray’s other Tweets
MalwareTech✔@MalwareTechBlog · Sep 1, 2019Replying to @MalwareTechBlog
Update: rumor is it was China targeting Uighur Muslims. An authoritarian government targeting dissidents was the most likely explanation, though my first guess would have been a gulf state. https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur/ …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com
I wonder if telemetry doesn’t make it out of China. Remember all the cloud hosting there is ran by a Chinese company under license.73:40 AM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Barry Dorrans’s other Tweets
This TechCrunch article on new developments related to the iPhone hacks via malicious websites is a well-written piece. Genuine reporting. No sensational boilerplate language about Apple. No hidden agenda. https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur/ …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com203:38 PM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy16 people are talking about this
New – iPhone Hackers Caught By Google Also Targeted Android And Microsoft Windows, Say Sourceshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2019/09/01/iphone-hackers-caught-by-google-also-targeted-android-and-microsoft-windows-say-sources/ …iPhone Hackers Caught By Google Also Targeted Android And Microsoft Windows, Say SourcesThe unprecedented attack on Apple iPhones last week was broader than first thought. There could be many more victims using Microsoft software too.forbes.com846:58 PM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy85 people are talking about this
This TechCrunch article on new developments related to the iPhone hacks via malicious websites is a well-written piece. Genuine reporting. No sensational boilerplate language about Apple. No hidden agenda. https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/31/china-google-iphone-uyghur/ …Sources say China used iPhone hacks to target Uyghur Muslims – TechCrunchA number of malicious websites used to hack into iPhones over a two-year period were targeting Uyghur Muslims, TechCrunch has learned. Sources familiar with the matter said the websites were part of…techcrunch.com203:38 PM – Sep 1, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy16 people are talking about this
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