c/asklemmy · by fraksken@infosec.pub · 1y

what happened with Ghost platform?

On quite a few news websites there's a new hot topic how the Australian "Ghost" app got hacked by Interpol and has led to prevention of murders and resulted in a few arrests.

Is there any information out there on what security methods Ghost used and how it was exploited?

12 points · 6 comments · view on lemmy.world

6 Comments

slazer2au@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y

Very likely the Aussie police won't say exactly. All they have said so far is the devices are modified smart phones and they compromised the devices with a supply chain attack.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-centre/media-release/afp-operation-kraken-charges-alleged-head-global-organised-crime-app

Main parts

The handsets, which were a modified smart phone, were sold for about $2350, which included a six-month subscription to an encrypted network and tech support.

The administrator regularly pushed out software updates, just like the ones needed for normal mobile phones.

But the AFP was able to modify those updates, which basically infected the devices, enabling the AFP to access the content on devices in Australia.

dohpaz42@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y

Crazy. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/australia-ghost-appencrypted-messaging-for-criminal-underworld-arrests/

Brkdncr@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y (3 replies)

Isn’t that the one that they built on their own?

fraksken@infosec.pub · 4 pts · 1y (1 reply)

What? Like "I'lL mAkE mY oWn EnCrYpTiOn"?

The administrator (creator) aledgedly created the platform 9 years ago when he was 23...

Brkdncr@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Actually I’m thinking of Phantom Secure. They built phones to go along with their app services.

Brkdncr@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

No, it was built by three-letter agencies and used to spy on cartels and others.