Hackers are targeting outdated iPhones and Android phones through infected websites to steal passwords and sensitive data. Here's how to protect your device.
The post Hackers Target iPhones and Android Phones: Here’s What We Know appeared first on TechRepublic.
A page we found promises a $750 Apple Cash reward if you complete a quick “device verification.” There is no reward, and the page does not verify your device. Instead, it sends you to app offers through affiliate tracking links.
The page is not affiliated with Apple. If you’ve landed on a page like this, close it.
Apple is one of the world’s most recognized brands, and scammers use that familiarity to make fake offers seem credible. Apple’s own scam guidance lists fake promotions offering free products and prizes among common tricks.
Current Apple news gives scammers useful cover. The new iPhone Duo is in the headlines, and we recently found a fake preorder page whose code tried to exploit older iPhones as soon as the page opened. With the iPhone Duo starting at $1,999, a promise of $750 in Apple money may catch people’s attention.
The word “verify” may also sound timely. Starting November 9, Green Dot Bank, which issues Apple Cash, will require some users to verify their identity before they can reload their balance. A fake page asking people to “verify your device” to get Apple Cash may seem more plausible in that context.
The page blurs two different things:
Apple warns that its gift cards can only be used for Apple purchases, and that someone asking you to pay them with one is probably a scammer. But neither Apple Cash nor an Apple Gift Card comes from a website that “unlocks” it after you install an app.
The fake site leans hard on Apple’s name. It calls the app it promotes an “Official Apple Partner” that is “Verified by Apple Cash,” and its footer claims “Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc.” None of that is true.
We looked at the code behind the page’s three steps: Eligibility Check, Verify Device and Claim Reward.
The eligibility check is a timer. The four items that tick green, including “Location: United States,” are just labels that light up on a schedule. The page never checks where you are or what device you use. Everyone passes in under four seconds.
The device verification is an app install. The page tell users to download an app called Reco Social, then tells them to create an account, and install and play a game. We found no evidence that Reco Social or its developer created or operated the fake reward page.
When you tap Download & Open App, the page opens a link in a new tab. Five seconds later, it starts showing “Verifying device…”. Nothing is being verified. The page has no way of knowing whether you installed anything, created an account or played a game.
The reward is the same link again. Ten minutes after you tap the button, the page moves on by itself and announces “Device Verified Successfully,” whether or not you installed anything. The Claim Your $750 button doesn’t add anything to your wallet. It opens the same link as the download button.
The page is built to stop you from thinking too long:
The download button doesn’t go directly to the App Store. It first goes through a tracking link on taprkr[.]com. These links can be used in affiliate marketing to credit clicks and installs to whoever sent the traffic.
The link carries a label, “recosocial-cpr.” CPR can stand for “cost per registration,” a deal where a promoter earns money when someone signs up. That label alone doesn’t confirm how this offer pays.
The destination varied in our tests. The link led to an offer labeled “playful-rewards-revshare” on iPhone and an ad network on PC. A revshare (revenue share) deal usually pays the promoter a cut of what users later spend, such as on in-app purchases.
The tracking labels suggest that promoters may earn money from registrations or spending in promoted apps, but they don’t confirm how this offer pays. Users don’t receive the promised $750.
We have no evidence that Reco Social or any app at the end of these links is behind the fake Apple page. Deceptive affiliate promoters can send traffic to legitimate apps because they may earn money for installs or signups regardless of how users were persuaded.
The page also loads a TikTok tracking pixel, which advertisers use to measure campaigns. This could mean the operators are measuring traffic from TikTok, but it doesn’t show where the link was shared.
Compared to a page that steals passwords or card numbers, this one can look harmless. But you still pay a price:
Keep these points in mind if you come across an Apple Cash or other Apple-related offer online:
Malwarebytes can help block known scam pages. Use Browser Guard with a supported browser, or Web Protection in Malwarebytes for iOS when browsing with Safari.
If you’re not sure whether a link, text or offer is real, you can ask Malwarebytes Scam Guard before you click.
According to CNET. Read their review →
Microsoft Authenticator's Android backup switch is coming in January. Existing recovery settings may not carry over automatically.
The post Microsoft Authenticator’s Android Backup Switch Is Coming in January — Google One Takes Over appeared first on TechRepublic.
Google has fixed CVE-2026-58868, a critical Android vulnerability affecting versions 14 through 17. The flaw is a critical Android vulnerability caused by a heap buffer overflow in the onOutputReceived function of FrameDecoder.cpp. The flaw can trigger an out-of-bounds write, potentially allowing a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable device. Exploitation requires neither user interaction nor additional execution privileges, making it a potential zero-click attack.
“cve-2026-58868 In onOutputReceived of FrameDecoder.cpp, there is a possible out-of-bounds write due to a heap buffer overflow.” reads the advisory. “This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.”
Devices receive the fix through security patch level 2026-11-01 or later, depending on manufacturers and carriers. Google is not aware of active exploitation of the flaws in its November 2026 bulletin.
Google’s November 2026 Android security bulletin addresses 216 vulnerabilities, including 23 rated Critical. Two of these flaws, CVE-2026-58876 and CVE-2026-58936, affect the System component and could allow remote code execution without user interaction.
The bulletin also lists five other Critical flaws in the System component. Three could lead to privilege escalation, while two could cause denial-of-service conditions. Another Critical vulnerability affects the Framework component and could also allow remote code execution.
Six Critical vulnerabilities affect the Android kernel. Two involve Bluetooth code, three affect the protected Kernel-based Virtual Machine (pKVM), and one is in the Human Interface Device (HID) component. The most severe kernel flaw could allow a remote attacker to gain elevated privileges without user interaction.
The November 5 patch level also addresses Critical vulnerabilities in MediaTek modem code and a closed-source Qualcomm component. Google’s bulletin lists eight Critical MediaTek modem flaws, while MediaTek’s own November security bulletin details six of them: CVE-2026-20499 and CVE-2026-20545 through CVE-2026-20549.
MediaTek describes these six vulnerabilities as out-of-bounds write flaws caused by missing bounds checks, integer overflow or improper input validation. The company says it is not aware of any active exploitation in the wild.
The Qualcomm issue is tracked as CVE-2026-25285 and affects a closed-source component. Google does not provide further technical details in its bulletin.
One of the critical issues fixed by Google is CVE-2026-58882 (aka SMS of Death), which could allow attackers to remotely disable a phone by sending a specially crafted SMS message. The flaw affects decodeWapPdu, a function responsible for processing WAP Push messages, a type of content delivered through the SMS infrastructure.
The vulnerability is particularly concerning because exploitation reportedly requires no user interaction. An attacker only needs the victim’s phone number to send a malicious message. The message doesn’t appear in the SMS inbox, so the victim may have no indication of what caused the problem.
The issue also raises concerns about the reliability of mobile communications during an attack. According to a technical analysis published on October 29 by security researcher Mark B, a malformed WAP Push message can crash com.android.phone, the Android system component responsible for handling telephony functions. The crash can terminate ongoing calls, including emergency calls.
Tests on several Android phone models reportedly reproduced the crash consistently. The phone can also become stuck in a crash loop because Android retries processing the malicious message whenever the device starts. As a result, the device may continue crashing until the offending message is removed.
There is an important distinction, however. Google’s security bulletin and the CVE record identify the vulnerable decodeWapPdu function, but neither explicitly confirms that CVE-2026-58882 is the same issue described in the researcher’s SMS of Death report. The technical overlap is worth investigating, but the two reports shouldn’t be treated as definitively describing the same vulnerability without further confirmation.
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(SecurityAffairs – hacking, CVE-2026-58868)
Most malware needs you to click something. This one came in the box.
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) says it has high confidence that Android device maker Videostrong Technology built and ran the XCPE backdoor for financial gain. Videostrong sold access to criminal affiliates, who loaded their own malware modules onto the boxes.
GTIG found that the backdoor, called x.cpe (or com.oemservice in some builds), sits in the firmware with system-level privileges. If someone uninstalls it, it reinstalls itself from the /oem/ partition when the device reboots. It could also switch off Google Play Protect app verification, allowing it to install more software without asking.
Google says Videostrong got past its compatibility and security tests by loading the malicious code after the device’s first boot. This allowed the devices to remain part of the residential proxy network.
Residential proxy networks rent out ordinary home IP addresses to customers. That makes their traffic appear to come from a legitimate consumer connection rather than a data center. This can help cybercriminals evade IP-based fraud controls and reputation systems.
Here’s what the backdoored set-top boxes could mean for their owners:
Google and its partners took legal action to take down the domains and servers Videostrong used to control the botnet. Google says it has banned Videostrong and its future subsidiaries and affiliates from making certified Android devices, and strengthened firmware integrity checks for certified Android TV devices.
The takedown only cuts the current connection to the malicious servers. It doesn’t remove the backdoor from infected devices, and can potentially be exploited by other criminals. If you think your box may be affected, disconnect it and contact the seller or manufacturer to ask for clean firmware or a replacement. Uninstalling the app won’t remove the backdoor from the firmware.
Google hasn’t published a complete list of affected models, so owners may not be able to tell from the model name alone whether their box is infected. If you decide to replace your box:
Scammers know more about you than you think.
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.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns97520_6de029-2f{gap:var(--global-kb-gap-xs, 0.5rem );justify-content:flex-start;align-items:center;}.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-button{font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;}.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0{margin-right:5px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button{color:#555555;border-color:#555555;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{color:#ffffff;border-color:#444444;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button::before{display:none;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{background:#444444;}The German government is warning politicians and public figures that they were targeted by government-backed spyware. The warning follows Apple’s notifications, which began reaching iPhones on October 29, according to the federal cybersecurity office, the BSI. The BSI says members of the Bundestag and other notable people got an Apple alert about an attack with so-called mercenary spyware.
“The Federal Office for Information Security ( BSI ) has learned that several members of the German Bundestag and other public figures have received a threat notification from Apple on their devices since October 29, 2026. In the notification, Apple states that it has detected an attack using so-called mercenary spyware . This is commercially developed, advanced spyware that has frequently been used in the past by state actors against specific, targeted individuals.” reads the notice issued by BSI.
“The BSI (Federal Office for Information Security) is unaware whether these notifications indicate actual compromises or merely signal attempted attacks.y “
“Germany’s digital minister, Karsten Wildberger, has confirmed that members of the Bundestag and the federal government received warnings from Apple that their iPhones may have been targeted by spyware.” states the report.
Digital minister Karsten Wildberger confirmed it on ARD’s Bericht aus Berlin on Sunday, saying there had been “a notification from Apple that certain devices may have been compromised” and that members of both the Bundestag and the federal government were among those warned. Digital minister said the BSI had reacted super quickly and written to everyone affected. Wildberger didn’t say how many politicians got the alerts or who they are.
“According to Wildberger, the BSI advised those affected to assume – as a precaution – that their device may have been compromised, because the alerts do not show whether an attack succeeded.” states Euronews.
The German government has not revealed who was targeted. Government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius told the Financial Times that officials are taking the incident and Apple’s warning very seriously. However, he did not say which government members received the alerts or whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz was among them. Apple has not commented on the reports, according to Euronews.
The Apple warning does not provide all the answers. Apple does not identify the governments behind these attacks, nor does it confirm whether a device was actually infected. Germany’s cybersecurity agency, the BSI, also says it is unclear whether the alerts indicate successful infections or only attempted attacks.
Apple says mercenary spyware is far more advanced than common cybercrime tools and that most users will never be targeted. This commercial surveillance software is often used on behalf of governments to spy on specific individuals. It can infect devices through so-called zero-click attacks, which do not require victims to open a message or click a link. In most cases, victims do not notice anything unusual.
Once a phone is compromised, the BSI says, attackers can read messages, including in encrypted apps, and access calls, contacts, calendars and location. They can also turn on the camera and microphone. That’s the whole phone, not a corner of it.
For recipients the BSI’s advice is concrete. Update the operating system immediately, unless you plan a forensic analysis, and consider turning on Lockdown Mode, which makes new attacks harder but doesn’t remove an existing infection. Lockdown Mode limits some features such as message attachments, link previews and FaceTime calls from unknown people, while calls and plain text messages keep working.
If the risk looks high, the BSI suggests replacing the device. That means resetting every account used on it and, to make repeat attacks harder, changing the phone number. Then set a new device passcode, change the passwords of your Apple account and email, and make sure two-factor authentication is on.
The BSI recommends turning on Signal’s registration lock and WhatsApp’s two-step verification, with a new PIN for each. It also advises removing any linked devices you don’t recognize.
Anyone who received a warning can email the BSI Service Center at service-center@bsi.bund.de. This helps the agency work out how many people may be affected. The agency says a genuine Apple warning never asks you to click links, open files, install apps or profiles, or share passwords and codes. These warnings appear on the lock screen, in settings, by email and at the top of account.apple.com after you sign in.
The warnings weren’t limited to Germany. Beirut-based filmmaker Radwan Mortada said on X that Apple had warned him about another attack against his device. He had already been targeted by spyware in 2021.
أمس، تلقيتُ إشعاراً أمنياً من شركة Apple تحذّرني فيه من تعرّض هاتفي الآيفون لهجوم تجسّسي موجّه، باستخدام برمجيات متطوّرة من النوع الذي تطوّره شركات مثل NSO Group، المعروفة ببرنامج «بيغاسوس».
— رُضوان (@radwanmortada) October 30, 2026
ولعلّ أخطر ما ورد في التحذير تأكيد Apple أنّ هذا النوع من الهجمات يستهدف أشخاصاً محدّدين… pic.twitter.com/2jFq6F3cvD
According to his notice, Apple sent the latest warnings to users in 99 countries. Nobody has publicly identified the attackers or the government that may have ordered the attacks.
The BSI warned German lawmakers that Apple threat notifications may indicate compromised devices and urged recipients to contact the agency and take protective measures.
“Those affected who have received a corresponding warning message from Apple should therefore assume that their device may have been compromised.” BSI concludes. “In a letter dated October 30, 2026, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) alerted members of the German Bundestag to the threat and informed them of necessary measures. Affected individuals were urged to contact the BSI directly .”
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(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Bundestag)
Google’s new Android app store program brings one-tap installs and automatic updates, but US users are excluded, and marketplaces face a $10,000 annual fee.
The post Google’s New Android App Store Program Costs $10,000 a Year appeared first on TechRepublic.
Ukraine and Russia both said on Sunday night that hackers had compromised their emergency alert apps and used them to send fake warnings about air raids and other attacks, including nuclear threats. The BBC reported the incident, but neither side’s claims have been independently confirmed.
Shortly before 11 p.m. local time (9 p.m. GMT), Ukraine’s widely used Air Alarm app sent the highest-level air raid warnings across the country. Some people, including residents of Kyiv, also received alerts about possible radiation, chemical attacks and street fighting. A message posted on Telegram said the app had likely been targeted by a cyberattack, confirmed there was no radiation threat and urged people to remain calm.
“Shortly before 23:00 local time (21:00 GMT), Ukraine’s widely usedair raid app sent red-level air raid warnings nation-wide, with additional warnings of radiation, chemical attacks, and street fighting sent to some residents in areas including Kyiv.” reports BBC.
“The Air Alarm application has probably been subjected to hostile interference. There is no radiation threat! Stay calm and follow our updates on our channel.” an alert on Telegram read.
The false alerts started at about 22:47 with a message that a radiation threat had been declared in Kyiv. At 22:48 came a message in Russian saying a nuclear alert would cover all of Ukraine and not to worry because “it’s Oreshnik flying”. Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile that can carry nuclear or conventional warheads, and Russia has the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal, with President Vladimir Putin repeatedly hinting he’s open to using every weapon available.
Two more alerts arrived at 22:49. One, in Ukrainian, warned of a chemical attack on Kyiv and told people not to go outside, and the other said street fighting was taking place in the city. Red, orange and green messages reached phones, and at 23:53 users got all-clear messages, each declaring one of the Kyiv threats over.
A Ukrainian intelligence body, which the BBC calls the Central Intelligence Agency, said there had been a failure in the app and urged people to use other sources of information. It added that the alerts triggered a radiation hazard signal on loudspeakers in the Lviv region, with no real threat.
“The Air Alert app is supported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and informs users instantly about the beginning and end of defence alerts. The ministry said it temporarily disabled the app for maintenance after it had “apparently been compromised”. states BBC.
“While the false alerts were quickly contained, cybersecurity experts suggested it was a new line in apparent Russian cyberattacks.”
The temporary shutdown of the Air Alert app also carries significant risks, even if it lasts only a short time. During an outage, users may not receive timely warnings about incoming attacks, leaving them with less time to reach shelters or take protective measures. This is particularly dangerous in a country where missile and drone attacks can happen with little warning.
The incident also highlights a difficult security trade-off: disabling a compromised alert system may prevent attackers from spreading false warnings, but it can temporarily remove a critical channel for delivering real emergency information. Any shutdown therefore needs reliable backup channels, such as sirens, official messaging services and other emergency communication systems.
Regional leaders tried to calm people. Svitlana Onyshchuk, head of the Ivano-Frankivsk region, said everything was calm, even though the app had shown a red-level alert for her region from 22:50 to 23:57. Natalya Zabolotna, her counterpart in Vinnytsia, confirmed a cyberattack on the app and warned people not to click the link in the message, which could be phishing.
Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation has advice for when the app isn’t working: turn on smartphone notifications, pay attention to sirens, and read only official sources. Oleksander Merezhko, chair of the foreign affairs committee in the Ukrainian parliament and a member of President Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, said the attack caused no panic. Ukrainians, especially in Kyiv, are used to practically non-stop alerts, he told the BBC, and the message in Russian aroused suspicion at once. The attackers picked a language that gave them away.
A few hours later, Russia’s ministry of emergency situations said its own app had suffered “a massive cyberattack” that sent fake information to the public. Ukrainian outlet UNN reported that the hack sent fake nuclear threat alerts inside Russia, citing Atesh, a partisan Ukrainian group operating in Russian-held territory. A screenshot Atesh shared on Telegram, described as purported, claimed nuclear warheads mounted on Ukrainian P1-Sun attack drones had been launched at all regions of Russia, opened with a “risk of getting lively” warning and told residents to stock up on three weeks of food and hide. The alert also had profanities.
Russia said it was still restoring the app but claimed the hack had not affected its wider alert system. It said people could still receive warnings through sirens, loudspeakers, text messages, TV and radio. The false alerts appeared minutes before a local ceasefire in Ukraine’s Kherson region ended on Sunday night. The truce had allowed civilians to leave Russian-occupied Oleshky. Although the fake warnings were quickly stopped, experts see the attack as a worrying escalation.
“I think it’s the first time it’s happened to an official Ukrainian information app, but I suspect it won’t be the last,” Herbert Lin, a senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at Stanford University, told BBC World Service’s Newsday programme.
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(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Ukraine)
A specially manipulated SMS message is enough to crash Android’s phone service, interrupt ongoing calls, and temporarily render the smartphone unusable. The attack requires no interaction from the victim and can even compromise the ability to contact emergency services.
The vulnerability, dubbed the SMS of Death, is bringing renewed attention to the security of the messaging system in Android smartphones. The issue, documented by independent researcher Mark Blaszczyk, allows a remote attacker to cause a disruption in phone service by sending a single, specially crafted WAP Push message.
WAP Push (Wireless Application Protocol Push) is a particular message transmitted over the mobile network, generally in the form of a binary SMS, which contains structured data and is processed automatically by the smartphone without requiring user intervention. Unlike a traditional SMS, it can carry notifications, links to Internet resources, and configurations for mobile services.
The most worrying aspect is the execution method. It’s a zero-click attack, in which the recipient doesn’t have to open the message, select a link, or authorize any action. The content is automatically processed by the operating system and can cause the process responsible for phone functionality to crash.
The vulnerability affects “WapPushOverSms“, an Android framework component located in the “frameworks/opt/telephony” path, responsible for interpreting and managing WAP Push messages received by the device.
The technical cause lies in the incorrect handling of a numeric value used during message interpretation. Specifically, the “decodeWapPdu()” function, the researcher explains, reads the length of the WSP header through a value encoded as “uintvar” , initially returned as a 64-bit number. The value is subsequently converted to a 32-bit integer without prior range checking. This operation can transform a seemingly valid number into a negative value, which is then used to determine the size of an array. The consequence of this is a “NegativeArraySizeException” exception, thrown when Android attempts to allocate a negative-sized array. The exception is not handled correctly in the processing path and causes the “com.android.phone” process, responsible for telephony functions, to terminate.
The researcher demonstrated that a five-byte WSP header can generate the value “-2147483648“, which is sufficient to trigger the issue. Therefore, it is not necessary to transmit particularly large amounts of content to cause the issue.
“A 5-byte uintvar of 88 80 80 80 00 decodes to 0x80000000. Cast to a signed 32-bit int, that is -2147483648. Allocating new byte[-2147483648] throws an uncaught NegativeArraySizeException on the telephony main thread, killing com.android.phone:” reads the analysis.
An invisible attack that also interrupts emergency calls
The message is transmitted as a data SMS via the WAP Push channel on port 2948. Unlike a regular SMS, it isn’t displayed in the message inbox and doesn’t generate a user-recognizable notification. The sender’s number isn’t normally visible in the conversation, and when the device receives the message, Android automatically starts processing it. A crash in the phone process causes a temporary loss of connectivity and interrupts active voice calls, including those to emergency services.
According to the researcher’s published evidence, each message processing can cause a disruption in telephone service lasting about one to two seconds, during which the component is rebooted. However, the problem can become much more serious if the message is processed repeatedly.
One of the most significant aspects of SMS of Death is the ability to transform a simple crash into a persistent Denial of Service condition. The malicious message can remain in the incoming SMS queue and be reprocessed during subsequent delivery attempts. The telephone operator’s retransmission mechanism can also contribute to a repeat of the event, causing further service disruptions.
The researcher reports observing intermittent crashes for up to a week after receiving a single message. Sending around twenty specially crafted messages can render the device unusable for an extended period. In more severe cases, the phone process can continue to crash during system startup, triggering a condition similar to a boot loop. Recovery may require using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) on a computer, directly intervening in the queue of messages waiting to be processed. For a typical user, this is far from a simple procedure.
A threat to communications availability
SMS of Death demonstrates how a cyberattack doesn’t necessarily have to involve information theft, code execution, or device control to have significant consequences. In this case, the target is phone service availability, a crucial feature especially when contacting emergency services. The ability to interrupt communications without any user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly sensitive. To reduce exposure, it’s important to check the Android security patch level installed and apply available updates, paying particular attention to devices no longer receiving manufacturer support.
Testing conducted by Mark Blah has shown that the issue is reproducible on several devices, including the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung smartphones from the Galaxy and Galaxy A families. The vulnerable code appears to be present on Android versions ranging from Android 12 to Android 17. However, the availability of the fix is not uniform across all generations of the operating system.
According to documentation published by the researcher, Google has distributed a fix via the October 2026 security update for Android 14, 15, 16, and 17. Older devices, such as those running Android 12 and 13, may remain exposed if they do not receive corrective updates.
It's assigned CVE-2026-58882 and a Critical severity in the November 2026 Android Security Bulletin. We've had it listed as one of the patches included in our security preview releases since our 2026072901 release which you can see in the release notes:https://t.co/tBoWBpALw1
— GrapheneOS (@GrapheneOS) October 29, 2026
About the author: Salvatore Lombardo (X @Slvlombardo)
Electronics engineer and Clusit member, for some time now, espousing the principle of conscious education, he has been writing for several online magazine on information security. He is also the author of the book “La Gestione della Cyber Security nella Pubblica Amministrazione”. “Education improves awareness” is his slogan.
Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon
(SecurityAffairs – hacking, SMS of Death)
Apple’s latest updates include a fix for a CoreGraphics bug that may have been exploited in targeted attacks. The fix is now available for older iPhones and iPads.
Apple released security updates on October 26. Apple first fixed the flaw in iOS 26.7.1. Its latest updates also bring the fix to older devices that can’t run iOS 26, including the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and seventh-generation iPad.
The iOS 18.7.11 update is a backport: it brings a fix from a newer software version to an older one. Here, Apple has made the fix available to older devices running iOS 18, so they can be protected without upgrading to an operating system they don’t support.
The table below shows which updates are available and links to Apple’s security information for each one.
| Name and information link | Available for |
| iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2 | iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 4th generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Air 4th generation and later, iPad 9th generation and later, and iPad mini 6th generation and later |
| iOS 26.7.2 and iPadOS 26.7.2 | iPhone 11 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 8th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later |
| iOS 18.7.11 and iPadOS 18.7.11 | iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPad 7th generation |
| macOS Golden Gate 27.2 | macOS Golden Gate |
| macOS Tahoe 26.7.2 | macOS Tahoe |
| macOS Sequoia 15.8.2 | macOS Sequoia |
| tvOS 27.2 | Apple TV 4K 2nd generation and later |
| watchOS 27.2 | Apple Watch Series 9 and later |
| visionOS 27.2 | Apple Vision Pro (all models) |
| Safari 27.2 | macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe |
| tvOS 26.6.1 (no published CVE entries) | Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K 1st generation |
For iOS and iPadOS users, here’s how to check if you’re using the latest software version:
Go to Settings > General > Software Update. You will see if there are updates available and be guided through installing them.
Turn on Automatic Updates if you haven’t already—you’ll find it on the same screen.
To update macOS on any supported Mac, use the Software Update feature, which Apple designed to work consistently across all recent versions. Here are the steps:
Safari updates are included with macOS updates, so installing the latest version of macOS will also update Safari. To check manually:
The headline bug is CVE-2026-86950, in CoreGraphics, Apple’s framework for drawing graphics, images and PDF content. It’s an out-of-bounds write flaw, where software writes data outside the memory set aside for it. The result is that “processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to arbitrary code execution.”
Apple says it is aware of a report that the flaw may have been exploited in an “extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals” on versions of iOS before iOS 27.
That wording indicates Apple believes the bug was used in real attacks against a limited group of users.
Usually, journalists, activists and officials are the targets of this kind of attack. If you think you could be a target of highly sophisticated spyware, you should update, restart your phone, and consider applying Apple’s Lockdown Mode.
Scammers know more about you than you think.
Malwarebytes Mobile Security protects you from phishing, scam texts, malicious sites, and more. With real-time AI-powered Scam Guard built right in.
.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns97520_6de029-2f{gap:var(--global-kb-gap-xs, 0.5rem );justify-content:flex-start;align-items:center;}.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-button{font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;}.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0{margin-right:5px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button{color:#555555;border-color:#555555;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{color:#ffffff;border-color:#444444;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button::before{display:none;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns97520_6de029-2f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{background:#444444;}Apple's iOS 27.2 fixes 163 security vulnerabilities, including WebKit and privacy flaws. IT teams should review updates across managed devices.
The post Apple Just Patched 163 iPhone Security Flaws — Here’s What Was at Risk appeared first on TechRepublic.
Google is extending scam-call protection to Android 15 and earlier, adding safeguards against malicious apps that abuse accessibility permissions.
The post Your Older Android Phone Is Getting a New Scam Defense — Here’s What Google Changed appeared first on TechRepublic.
A critical vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-113380 (CVSS score 9.3 of 10), in Signal ’s calling library could allow a malicious caller to interfere with call termination, potentially leaving the victim’s microphone and camera active after they believe the conversation has ended. The flaw affects versions before 2.72.0 of the library RingRTC, which the messaging app uses to provide voice and video calling.
It highlights a security problem that deserves attention beyond a single messaging application: ending a call should be an immediate control action, not something that can be delayed by traffic coming from the other participant.
According to the technical report published on GitHub, the vulnerability stems from how RingRTC handles events in the finite-state machine (FSM) that manages a call. The application places events in a queue for processing, but a malicious peer can flood that queue with events and prevent the local hang-up operation from being handled in a timely manner.
“A local hang-up is not a kill switch: it is just one more event placed at the back of the call’s finite-state-machine event queue. The remote peer is trusted with that queue — there is no rate limit on peer-originated events and no priority lane for hang-up.” reads the technical report published on GitHub, “Flood the queue with junk and the hang-up waits behind attacker noise forever, so the call (microphone, possibly camera) is never torn down.”
People expect that pressing the hang-up button ends the call and turns off the microphone and camera. But if the system is too busy processing other events, it may delay the command to end the call, leaving the audio or video active longer than expected.
The report explains that someone taking part in a call could exploit this weakness by sending enough events to overload the system’s queue. This could stop the other person from ending the call properly, potentially keeping the microphone active and possibly the camera too.
The underlying problem is not that Signal’s end-to-end encryption has been broken. Rather, it concerns the handling of call state and the reliable termination of a session. Encryption cannot protect users from every flaw in the software that controls when a communication session begins or ends.
The vulnerability concerns RingRTC versions earlier than 2.72.0 and can affect Signal clients that embed a vulnerable build of the library. According to the CSIRT Toscana advisory, the affected application versions are Signal for Android before 8.27.0, Signal for iOS before 8.30.0, and Signal Desktop before 8.29.0.
The official RingRTC fix and the comparison between versions 2.71.0 and 2.72.0 document the software changes. Users should install the latest available Signal release for their device rather than relying on the library version alone.
The technical report also includes a conceptual Python proof of concept. It models the difference between a queue in which a flood can bury a hang-up event and one in which critical events receive priority. The demonstration is synthetic and offline, with no network activity or real calls, so it illustrates the underlying logic rather than providing a working exploit.
This is an important distinction. The fact that the vulnerability has been made public does not mean attackers are already exploiting it. However, because it could expose private conversations, updating Signal promptly is a sensible precaution, especially for people who use it to discuss sensitive matters.
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The Citizen Lab published a research note confirming that the iPhone of Vladan Đokić, Rector of the University of Belgrade, was infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware sometime in 2026. The infection used a zero-click exploit, meaning Đokić did nothing to trigger it. No tap, no opened file, nothing.
“In collaboration with the SHARE Foundation, we found with high confidence that Professor Vladan Đokić, Rector of the University of Belgrade, and prominent supporter of the Serbian student movement, was hacked with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware in 2026.” states Citizen Lab.
Đokić became a prominent figure in Serbia’s student-led pro-democracy movement after refusing to facilitate a government crackdown on protesters. Serbian authorities raided his offices on March 31, seizing computers and servers. The Citizen Lab found the infection with high confidence and describes the investigation as ongoing.
The timing raises questions. The discovery came just six days before Serbia’s snap parliamentary elections on October 25. Until September, Đokić had been publicly named as a possible candidate to lead the Student List. Since he spoke out against the crackdown, pro-government media have repeatedly attacked him.
Citizen Lab explained what a Pegasus infection means. Once installed, the spyware can give its operator the same access to a device as its owner. This includes private and encrypted messages, and the ability to turn on the microphone and camera without the owner’s knowledge.
“With the assistance of the SHARE Foundation, the Citizen Lab analyzed forensic artifacts collected from Vladan Đokić’s Apple iPhone at his request and with his consent.” reads the report. “We found with high confidence that it was infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware in 2026. The infection leveraged a zero-click exploit.”
In a statement published by the university, Đokić called the spyware “another attempt of intimidation.” He called for an independent investigation, the public release of its findings, and criminal prosecution of those responsible.
“Additionally, we note that Rade Bajić, who, as a prosecutor, investigated official corruption in a failed project in Belgrade, received an Apple Threat Notification.” continues Citizen Labs.
The Citizen Lab also flagged Rade Bajić, a senior prosecutor who worked on the “Generalštab” case, a corruption investigation into the removal of heritage protections from a Belgrade site to clear the way for a luxury development backed by a company linked to Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. Bajić says he was removed from the investigation in November 2025 without explanation, and spoke at a student protest in February denouncing political interference in the case.
He received an Apple Threat Notification on August 13 and a reminder on August 27. The Citizen Lab treats this as a high-confidence indicator that his device was likely targeted with mercenary spyware. Forensic analysis of his device is still ongoing and no confirmation of infection has been published yet.
These two cases bring the known total to at least 16 members of Serbian civil society targeted or infected with commercial spyware in 2026. In September, the SHARE Foundation, with support from Citizen Lab and Amnesty International, reported an earlier wave of attacks. The victims included a student protester confirmed to have been infected with Pegasus, opposition party members, and local officials. Those cases occurred around the period leading up to Serbia’s March local elections. The latest confirmed case was discovered just six days before the October parliamentary elections.
Serbia’s security service dismissed the September reports as purely trivial sensationalism and said it operates within Serbian law. Citizen Lab did not identify who was behind the attack on Đokić’s phone. Pegasus is sold only to governments and state agencies, which limits the number of possible operators.
If you received an Apple Threat Notification, treat your device as compromised until a technical expert confirms otherwise. In Serbia, contact the SHARE Foundation. Everywhere else, Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline supports journalists, human rights defenders, and activists. Enable Lockdown Mode on your iPhone immediately, keep iOS updated, and get your close contacts and colleagues screened as well.
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As Android Central reports, users have received unexpected emails telling them their phone number has been verified for secondary Google accounts.
Like me and many others, you may have one Google account for everyday use, another for work, and a third for things you would rather keep separate. But if you’re using an Android phone, those accounts may have something in common that you didn’t intend or even know about: your phone number.
Google’s own documentation confirms that phone number verification is on by default and adds your number to all Google accounts signed in on the device. This applies to both existing accounts and any you add later.
Google says phone number verification helps support features such as signing in, account recovery, Rich Communications Services (RCS) messaging, and finding or securing a lost device.
But it also means that a number you intended to use with your main account can become associated with a secondary account simply because both are signed in on the same Android device.
If you deliberately left your phone number off a secondary account, this links it to your real identity without you knowingly making that connection. Your number doesn’t automatically become public, but Google gains another way to connect accounts you wanted to keep separate.
This reminded me of an article I wrote about unexpected Google account connections: “Google Play sign-ins can be abused to track another person’s movements.” Signing in to Google Play on one phone allowed me to see its movements in Google Maps Timeline.
“After some digging I learned that my Google account was added to my wife’s phone’s accounts when I logged in on the Play Store, but was not removed when I logged out after noticing the tracking issue.”
While that particular issue should be solved by Google’s move toward device-based Timeline storage, unwanted phone number associations need to be removed manually.
Phone manufacturers arrange their settings differently, so there may be some differences in menu names and locations. We tried to make sure everyone can follow these instructions, but there might be makes and models where you get stuck. Feel free to ask in the comments and maybe others with the same phone can help you.
This needs to be done on the Android phone itself:
Turning this off does not remove numbers already added to your accounts.
This step can be done in a browser, so should be the same for everyone.
To remove the number from that account, select the delete icon and follow the on-screen instructions. Repeat for each account you want to check.
There’s a wrinkle. Google says changing a number in your Google Account only affects some services. Other services, such as 2-Step Verification, may use the number separately and may not all appear on the Phone page.
On each account you are cleaning up:
If your goal is to remove the number entirely from a particular account, don’t assume deleting it from Personal info has removed every separate use. Check those security settings as well, but make sure to keep a working alternative sign-in and recovery method before removing the number.
Android Central reports that some users say automatic verification switches itself back on after they disable it. Those are user reports, not confirmation that this happens on every phone. But if you’re concerned, check the setting again later.
Scammers know more about you than you think.
Malwarebytes Mobile Security protects you from phishing, scam texts, malicious sites, and more. With real-time AI-powered Scam Guard built right in.
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ThreatFabric researchers detailed a new Android banking trojan called Hirudo that takes a genuinely different approach to defeating banking security. Instead of throwing a fake login screen over the real app, it uninstalls the real app and puts a modified copy in its place.
“What sets it apart is the lengths its operators go to once a bank is in their sights: rather than overlaying a fake screen on top of the genuine banking app, Hirudo attempts to replace the banking app itself with a modified copy that quietly disables the bank’s own security checks from the inside.” reads the analysis published by ThreatFabric.
Eight Indonesian banking apps from seven banks already have specially designed replacements ready. The malware’s credential-stealing code also targets users in Indonesia, China, India, Mexico, Morocco, and Thailand.
Hirudo is delivered as a second app hidden inside a convincing dropper. The dropper looks like a legitimate shopping app, short drama platform, or adult video service. It loads real content through a WebView to make the app look genuine. If it detects a banking app on the device and finds that Hirudo is not yet installed, it displays a fake in-app update prompt.
One dropper analysed by researchers goes a step further. During installation, it creates a deliberately broken VPN connection that cuts off the device’s internet access while Hirudo is installed. This does not fully bypass Google Play Protect, but ThreatFabric believes the technique is designed to weaken online reputation checks and code analysis while the malicious APK is being installed. Hirudo is then installed as a separate app from the dropper. Before it can carry out its malicious activities, it must obtain its own Accessibility and notification permissions.
When the payload detects a target banking app, it checks the app’s signing certificate against a stored reference, then shows a fake update prompt and immediately opens Android’s uninstaller without waiting for the user to tap confirm. It downloads the patched replacement in parallel.
“Hirudo keeps a registry of 42 financial apps, but only eight Indonesian apps, across seven banks, have dedicated replacement downloads. For these, the RAT detects the installed banking app through Accessibility, checks its signing certificate against a stored reference, then shows a fake “update” prompt.” reads the analysis. “It opens Android’s uninstaller for the genuine app without waiting for the user to tap, and downloads the bank-specific replacement in parallel.”
The replacement keeps the original package name and version number, but it’s signed with a public test key rather than the bank’s real certificate. Android won’t install it as an update over a properly signed app, which is why the original has to go first. That requirement is a real constraint: the victim can interrupt it. But if they don’t, what follows is clever enough to matter.
The bank’s original code remains almost unchanged. Only one line is added to the app’s Application class. This line loads a built-in hooking engine when the app starts. The engine uses two open-source frameworks: YAHFA to modify Java methods and Dobby to modify native functions. It activates only when it finds a trigger file created by the RAT on the device. Without this file, the modified banking app appears harmless.
Once activated, the engine runs inside the banking app and controls how it responds to security checks. If the app asks for its signing certificate, the engine returns the genuine one. If it checks which accessibility services are enabled, the engine returns an empty list. It also removes the flag that blocks screenshots, allowing the attacker to view and record the banking screen remotely.
Play Integrity checks are sent over plain HTTP to a server controlled by the operator, which returns an acceptable result. Researchers highlight two important points. First, the keybox used for attestation has been leaked publicly, and at least two of its certificates are already on Google’s revocation list. Second, a valid Play Integrity response does not prove that the app has not been tampered with. In this case, the response was relayed through the operator’s server rather than generated through a genuine integrity check.
The lures don’t spread through side-loaded APKs from shady forums. They’re served from Amazon CloudFront, tied to campaign tracking through OpenInstall attribution, and linked to Meta Pixel IDs connecting specific branding to specific campaign groups. Some download routes were still live through late September and into October 2026. The operator APK-processing panel, which rebuilds dropper and payload APKs into finished lures and patched banking apps, was reachable without authentication, with cloud storage buckets and credentials left exposed, a significant operational security failure that helped ThreatFabric map the operation.
Records from August 2026 included thousands of credential entries split across campaign groups, device records, lock-screen history, and financial profiles with monthly income and risk score fields. Operators annotated records they considered “phished,” which signals a workflow built to convert stolen data into actual fraud rather than just collect it.
ThreatFabric’s conclusion on the defensive side is worth reading directly: “once an app can be replaced, its locally produced signals — signature, accessibility list, integrity verdict — must be treated as attacker-influenced and verified server-side.” A valid Play Integrity verdict from a relayed request is not a green light. A clean accessibility list from a patched app is not evidence there’s no controlling service running. The signals the app produces locally are no longer trustworthy, and any bank relying on them as blockers rather than inputs to server-side risk scoring is running on assumptions this trojan was designed to exploit.
“Hirudo marks a deliberate escalation in how Android bankers approach hardened applications. By moving its tampering inside the target app, the operation shifts the contest from the device to the application’s own integrity checks, and from a bespoke patch to a reusable engine that can be retargeted at other apps and regions.” concludes the report. “The defensive conclusion is consistent across every capability we examined: signals produced locally by an app that may have been replaced cannot be trusted on their own.”
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(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Android malware)
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