Apple urges all iPhone users to upgrade to iOS version 9.3.5 now, which you can do by navigating to Settings General Software Update, and hitting “Install”.
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Security firm Lookout announced on Thursday that it has discovered a major security flaw that exploits iOS and can give a third party complete control over your iPhone.
NSO would not comment on whether it had sold the software.
They traced the previously unknown spyware back to an Israeli-based company called the NSO Group. The company recommends anyone using an iPhone update their iOS immediately.
It’s unlikely that any of the exploits reached iOS end users, since they were caught by researchers and Apple.
Researchers said it appeared governments had used NSO’s software to target journalists and human rights workers.
Citizen Lab was also alerted to the problem when a human rights activist, Ahmed Mansoor began receiving odd text messages contain links to information about the torture of UAE citizens. The messages reportedly contained information about alleged torture of UAE citizens.
Citizen Lab teamed up with mobile security company Lookout to investigate.
“The targeting of these activists and dissidents is a taste of what’s to come”, Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marczak. By clicking on the text link, Mansoor would have unwittingly installed the malware and allowed the sender full access to his communications.
Lookout referred to Pegasus as the most sophisticated attack it has ever seen, sneakily accessing calls, cameras, email, passwords, apps and more on iPhones.
The reports claimed that hackers could read texts and emails as well being able to track calls and contacts.
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Lookout warned Apple about the exploit before going public with it, and Apple fixed the flaw with an update to iOS, version 9.3.5, that was released on Thursday. The significance of this release is it fixes three security vulnerabilities, which were discovered by Israel-based digital arms dealers, NSO Group. “The agreements signed with the company’s customers require that the company’s products only be used in a lawful manner”. “NSO’s mission is to help make the world a safer place, by providing authorized governments with technology that helps them combat terror and crime”, said Zamir Dahbash, NSO spokesman, in a statement to USA TODAY.
