Re:Pegasus: A Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy
by wkat4242 on Tuesday January 17, 2023 @07:37PM
(#34421703)
It will scale to all iPhones sure. That's not the reason why it's not widespread.
The problem is keeping it under the radar. If NSO starts blasting their exploits to the general population it'll be a matter of days before some smart security researcher figures it out and gets it patched. Because even if the exploit itself is hard to detect, you still have the C&C and exfiltration to deal with which is detectable in many ways. You can block doing it via WiFi but some researchers even run their own cell hotspot.
I think this is why they make it so expensive to it remains really rare. It protects their business.
This is a very common problem in cryptography. Once you're discovered your target will simply change their tools. The allies had to let a lot of people die in less important convoys lest the Germans would get suspicious about Enigma being cracked. And always had to fake a 'chance' encounter with a spotter plane or something.
The problem is keeping it under the radar. If NSO starts blasting their exploits to the general population it'll be a matter of days before some smart security researcher figures it out and gets it patched. Because even if the exploit itself is hard to detect, you still have the C&C and exfiltration to deal with which is detectable in many ways. You can block doing it via WiFi but some researchers even run their own cell hotspot.
I think this is why they make it so expensive to it remains really rare. It protects their business.
This is a very common problem in cryptography. Once you're discovered your target will simply change their tools. The allies had to let a lot of people die in less important convoys lest the Germans would get suspicious about Enigma being cracked. And always had to fake a 'chance' encounter with a spotter plane or something.