FCC commissioner wants Apple, Google to remove TikTok from App Stores

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:34:00 -0700

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has written to Apple and Google to request that both companies remove the incredibly popular TikTok app from their stores, citing a threat to national security.

Is your data going TikTok?

Carr warns the app collects huge quantities of data and cited a recent report that claimed the company has accessed sensitive data collected from Americans. He argues that TikTok’s, “pattern of conduct and misrepresentations regarding the unfettered access that persons in Beijing have to sensitive U.S. data…puts it out of compliance,” with App Store security and privacy policies.

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The surveillance-as-a-service industry needs to be brought to heel

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2022 09:40:00 -0700

Here we go again: another example of government surveillance involving smartphones from Apple and Google has emerged, and it shows how sophisticated government-backed attacks can become and why there’s justification for keeping mobile platforms utterly locked down.

What has happened?

I don’t intend to focus too much on the news, but in brief it is as follows:

  • Google’s Threat Analysis Group has published information revealing the hack.
  • Italian surveillance firm RCS Labs created the attack.
  • The attack has been used in Italy and Kazakhstan, and possibly elsewhere.
  • Some generations of the attack are wielded with help from ISPs.
  • On iOS, attackers abused Apple’s enterprise certification tools that enable in-house app deployment.
  • Around nine different attacks were used.

The attack works like this: The target is sent a unique link that aims to trick them into downloading and installing a malicious app. In some cases, the spooks worked with an ISP to disable data connectivity to trick targets into downloading the app to recover that connection.

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Jamf CIO: Apple will be the No. 1 enterprise endpoint by 2030

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2022 04:02:00 -0700

I spoke with Jamf CIO Linh Lam on a recent UK visit to mark the company’s 20th anniversary. The 2020 Bay Area CIO of the Year Finalist joined Jamf in 2021 – and thinks Apple will be the top enterprise endpoint by 2030 as its current momentum accelerates.

The changing landscape of enterprise IT

“The way the demand is growing and the expectations of younger generations joining the workforce, Apple devices will be the number one endpoint by 2030,” she told me.

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Coffee app in hot water for constant tracking of user location

Credit to Author: Christopher Boyd| Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2022 09:53:19 +0000

A Tim Hortons app has been flagged for managing to violate Canada’s privacy laws. We offer some advice to avoid becoming tangled in app woes.

The post Coffee app in hot water for constant tracking of user location appeared first on Malwarebytes Labs.

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Apple confirms the scale of App Store fraud

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2022 08:30:00 -0700

Apple says millions of fraudulent attempts are made against the App Store and its users each year. The company prevented $1.5 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2021, it said, in line with similar levels of fraud in 2020.

How people attempt to commit App Store fraud

The company explains how fraudsters attempt to commit fraud via the store.

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Android apps with millions of downloads exposed to high-severity vulnerabilities

Credit to Author: Katie McCafferty| Date: Fri, 27 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000

Microsoft uncovered high-severity vulnerabilities in a mobile framework used by multiple large mobile service providers in pre-installed Android System apps that potentially exposed users to remote or local attacks.

The post Android apps with millions of downloads exposed to high-severity vulnerabilities appeared first on Microsoft Security Blog.

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AirTag stalking: What is it, and how can I avoid it?

Credit to Author: Christopher Boyd| Date: Tue, 17 May 2022 14:12:25 +0000

AirTag stalking is in the news as bills look to close loopholes used by stalkers. What are AirTags, and how can they be used to track people?

The post AirTag stalking: What is it, and how can I avoid it? appeared first on Malwarebytes Labs.

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Europe puts Apple’s CSAM plans back in the spotlight

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Thu, 12 May 2022 08:38:00 -0700

Apple may have put some of its plans to scan devices for CSAM material on hold, but the European Commission has put them right back in the spotlight with a move to force messaging services to begin monitoring for such material.

CSAM is emerging as a privacy test

In terms of child protection, it’s a good thing. Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is a far bigger problem than many people realize; victims of this appalling trade end up with shattered lives.

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12 Android settings that'll strengthen your security

Credit to Author: JR Raphael| Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2022 02:50:00 -0700

You might not know it from all the panic-inducing headlines out there, but Android is actually packed with practical and powerful security options. Some are activated by default and protecting you whether you realize it or not, while others are more out of the way but equally deserving of your attention.

So stop wasting your time worrying about the Android malware monster du jour and which security company is using it to scare you into an unnecessary subscription, and take a moment instead to look through these far more impactful Android settings — ranging from core system-level elements to some more advanced and easily overlooked options.

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