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FSB-NSA Spy War: How the U.S. Tried to Hack Apple Phones in Russia

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BNN Correspondents
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A secret operation by the FBI and its allies exposed a plot by the NSA to infect thousands of Apple phones with malware and spy on their users.

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The FBI has revealed that it has sabotaged a malicious software network used by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) to spy on thousands of Apple phones in Russia and other countries. The operation, dubbed "Medusa", was carried out in collaboration with security agencies from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

According to the FBI, the NSA plot involved using previously unknown malware and specially made backdoor vulnerabilities to penetrate Apple phones and steal sensitive information from their users. The targets included domestic Russian subscribers and foreign diplomats based in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

The FBI said the plot showed the close relationship between Apple and the NSA, and raised questions about the privacy and security of Apple products. Neither Apple nor the NSA immediately responded to requests for comment.

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The malware network was traced to a notorious Russian hacking group linked to the FSB.

The FBI and its partners identified and disabled the malware network, which was wielded by an elite Russian hacking group known as "Turla". The group is believed to be part of a unit within Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

Turla has been active for two decades against a variety of NATO-aligned targets, U.S. government agencies and technology companies, according to a senior FBI official. The group is widely considered one of the most sophisticated hacking teams studied by the security research community.

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The FBI said it had tracked the malware's development to an FSB unit known as Center 16 operating out of Ryazan, Russia, and its operation from an office the unit has in Moscow. The malware, codenamed "Snake", was first detected in 2004 and has been used selectively to target high-value devices used by allied foreign ministries and governments.

The FBI used a unique software payload to disrupt the hackers' infrastructure.

The FBI said it had built a unique software payload that could communicate with Snake's custom protocols and sever its connections. The FBI relied on existing search warrant authorities to remotely access the Russian malicious program within victim networks in the U.S. and disable it.

The senior FBI official said the Bureau's tool was designed only to speak Snake and did not access the victim's personal files. He said the operation was aimed at eradicating Snake from the virtual battlefield and preventing further damage to U.S. national security interests.

The FBI also urged Apple users to update their devices with the latest security patches and check for any signs of compromise. The FBI said it would continue to monitor Turla's activities and work with its allies to counter cyber threats from Russia and other adversaries.

NationalSecurity FBIInvestigation HackingIncident RussianEspionage Spyware
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