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If you have been following the spy world recently, you may be familiar with the Pegasus spyware. The software is developed by NSO Group, a cyber weapons company based in Israel, and it has the capability to read messages, listen to calls, track locations, and more. This software gained attention when it was discovered that several nations were using it to spy on journalists, activists, and other individuals of interest.
Recently, Apple’s iOS 16.6 mobile operating system was found to have a zero-day and zero-click exploit known as “Blastpass” by its discoverer – Citizen Lab. This exploit does not require any user interaction and seems to involve PassKit, an Apple SDK used to integrate Apple Pay into apps, along with some malicious images sent via iMessage. Citizen Lab successfully installed Pegasus on a target device using this exploit and immediately reported it to Apple.
A fix has now been implemented in iOS 16.6.1, and it is recommended that all users update their devices as soon as possible. The exploit is considered to be significant and far-reaching, with Citizen Lab even suggesting that users concerned about their privacy enable the iOS Lock Mode, a recent iOS feature that restricts the functions of Apple devices.
In other news, China has recently banned the use of iPhones by government officials. While we are not speculating on any connection to the exploit, it is clear that Apple is facing challenges with its iPhones.