Hack-for-Hire Group Targets Android Devices and iCloud Backups, Affecting Journalists and Officials
Security researchers have uncovered a hack-for-hire group targeting journalists, activists, and government officials in the Middle East and North Africa. The group used phishing attacks to access iCloud backups and messaging accounts on Signal, deploying Android spyware to take control of devices. This campaign is part of a broader trend where government agencies outsource hacking operations to private companies. The attacks, documented by Access Now and Lookout, affected individuals in Egypt, Lebanon, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and potentially the U.S. The hackers are linked to BITTER APT, suspected to have ties to the Indian government. The campaign may involve an offshoot of the Indian hack-for-hire startup Appin, with RebSec identified as a possible suspect. 
