FinFisher Slips Beneath the Cold, Dark Sea
April 1, 2022
I read “Stage Win: FinFisher Is Bankrupt.” The main idea is that the somewhat controversial vendor of intelware is out of business. The article states:
“The end of FinFisher is not the end of the state Trojan market,” says Thorsten Schröder, who conducted the CCC FinSpy analysis together with Linus Neumann. “The employees who are now laid off will look for new jobs – presumably at competitors, who will probably also take over the customer base.” More important than the company going bankrupt, therefore, is a conclusion to the criminal proceedings. “We all hope that the end of FinFisher is just the beginning and that the competitors will also finally face legal and financial consequences,” says Linus Neumann.
What is interesting that as information moved from “secret” to open sources, the reaction to specialized software and services has been interesting. The MBA, cowboy emulating, entrepreneurial approach to generating revenue has had an impact.
Blub, blub. Is this the sound of that will haunt other vendors of specialized software and services? What if companies with fish names may face a similar fate?
Stephen E Arnold, April 1, 2022
DarkCyber, March 29, 2022: An Interview with Chris Westphal, DataWalk
March 29, 2022
Chris Westphal is the Chief Analytics Officer of DataWalk, a firm providing an investigative and analysis tool to commercial and government organizations. The 12-minute interview covers DataWalk’s unique capabilities, its data and information resources, and the firm’s workflow functionality. The video can be viewed on YouTube at this location.
Stephen E Arnold, March 29, 2022
Palantir May Be the New DCGS
March 9, 2022
It is perhaps more important than ever for our military to reliably, efficiently, and securely relay data to the other side of the world. To that end, the army is putting its faith in a firm we have covered often over the last several years. DefenseNews reports, “Palantir Scores $34M Order for Army Data Platform.” Reporter Colin Demarest writes:
“The Army Intelligence Data Platform deal includes software, training, cybersecurity activities and help with testing and initial standup of the capability, the Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors said in an announcement Feb. 22. The award signals the next step for what was once known as the Distributed Common Ground System Capability Drop 2.”
So DCGS is dead, long live AIDP. According to a statement from the Army’s Project Manager Intelligence Systems and Analytics, the platform acts as that branch’s foundation for internal intelligence and its connection to data from the intelligence community. The write-up continues:
“The Army Acquisition Support Center describes the Distributed Common Ground System as a means to buttress a commander’s understanding of threats and his or her environment. It consists of both hardware, like laptops, and software, like data filters and analytics. The Department of Defense in February 2020 named Palantir and BAE Systems as competitors on a $823 million contract to upgrade the Army’s facet of the Distributed Common Ground System. In March 2018, the Defense Department said Palantir and Raytheon would share a $876 million contract for the Distributed Common Ground System-Army Capability Drop 1.”
Perhaps this announcement will boost the intrepid firm’s stock prices. But will this technology work if the cloud goes south or a laptop fails and a replacement cannot access the data? Of course. High tech always performs as long as there are government agencies with hefty budgets.
Cynthia Murrell, March 9, 2022
NSO Group: Sued by an Outfit with Deep Pockets
March 9, 2022
Now NSO Groups has an opportunity to see how legal eagles flock when Tim Apple says, “Let’s take NSO Group to court.” Tim Apple seems like such a nice person, but appearances can be deceiving.
A short news item from the Thomson Reuters outfit which wants me to trust them published “Apple Files Lawsuit against NSO Group, Saying US Citizens Were Targets.” Is this true? Tim Apple appears to believe that NSO Group took this action, but did NSO Group? NSO Group, like Time Apple’s outfit, makes software. NSO Group then licenses its system and platform to government entities. Following this logic, Tim Apple has to prove that NSO Group did the spying. But I am no lawyer, so maybe Apple’s actual approach is different from what appeared in the news story from the news organization that wants my trust.
I don’t trust too many people, and I certainly don’t trust those in the “real” news game. My point about the Tim Apple story is that once again the NSO Group is in the public eye. More specifically an outfit called OSY Technologies is named and sharing the NSO Spotlight.
I have been clear and consistent that the marketing infused MBA thought processes of some specialized software companies was off base. I long for the good old days when vendors of technology purpose built to meet the needs of intelligence and law enforcement agencies was essentially secret. I remember the good old days of specialist conferences when people from Trovicor would stop talking when an unfamiliar face walked by the booth. No more. If I walk by a booth I could score a baseball cap with a logo or get a T shirt with a cute message and the vendor’s logo.
How about a week without the NSO Group? Unfortunately the knock on effects of hyper active people trying to make big money from a finite customer base has put intelware on the equivalent of a 24 hour Twitter stream, a Telegram public group message, and the billboard in Times Square.
The publicity is bad. The litigation, if it takes place, ensures that intelware will become more well known. I can hardly wait for diagrams showing how the NSO Group platform interacts with its software on a target’s mobile device.
Will bad actors pay attention? Oh, boy, will they. I don’t need synthetic data, a Bayesian engine, and some smart software to understand that more downside exists now than before I read the real news about Tim Apple’s flock of lawyers preparing to circle what might be a possible meal.
Stephen E Arnold, March 9, 2022
Stephen E Arnold
NSO Group: Now US Lawmakers Want Pegasus Information
March 7, 2022
Imagine a hearing in which elected government officials ask questions about NSO Group’s Pegasus. Once that technical information is internalized, the members will want to know if a US government agency and a company wearing a T shirt with the word “Privacy, Security, and China” printed on it use the specialized software.
“US Lawmakers Demand Answers from Apple and the FBI about the Agency’s Alleged Use of Pegasus Spyware” states:
…a pair of lawmakers in the US House are asking for some answers about the situation. The letters were signed by Rep. Jim Jordan, who is a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Mike Johnson, a ranking member of the subcommittee on civil rights. The letters were seeking information on “the FBI’s acquisition, testing, and use of NSO’s spyware.”, which indicated that the FBI has acquired NSO-developed spyware tools like Pegasus and Phantom.
Will this inquiry end up in a public hearing with breathless real news people infected with Potomac Fever reporting on what once was secret?
I don’t know. But it would be a cause to celebrate if the NSO Group matter would drift into the background. Alas. Now that elected officials “demand” answers, I think I will be subjected to another flow of Pegasus/Phantom talk.
Apple is not dragging its feet in the orchard. The company has sued NSO Group for stuff only lawyers understand in addition to billing.
Will senior officials from Tim Apple’s company and the FBI participate in what will be memorialized on cable TV, YouTube, and possibly the China affiliated TikTok?
I don’t know. What I do know is that knock on effects of the NSO Group’s cowboy approach to the digital Wild West is bigger news that Buffalo Bill’s traveling circus.
Stephen E Arnold, March 7, 2022
NSO Group: Dominoes, Anyone? Anyone?
March 1, 2022
In December 2021, the Zuckbook outfit released a report called “Threat Report on the
Surveillance-for-Hire Industry.” If you want to read this 17-page document, navigate to this url. If the document is disappeared, well, that’s life.
I wasn’t going to write about the banning of these intelware vendors’ firms:
- BellTroX
- Black Cube
- Bluehawk CI
- Cobwebs Technologies
- Cognyte
- Cytrox
And, according to the Zuck’s experts, a couple of Chinese outfits were in the list. I don’t want to hazard a guess, so let me say there are more than two of these types of firms chugging away in the Middle Kingdom.
A flurry of reports surfaced last week, including a report from My QtoA. You can read the summary at this link.
My take on this Zucking of specialized software and services firm is that I really want to ignore the impact NSO Group has had on a much needed and necessary market sector. What is unfortunate is that the Wild West, cowboy, and Silicon Valley “let’s get rich” mentality has diffused into what once was a secret carefully husbanded by government agencies.
Well, obviously, quite a few people, including bad actors, know about Pegasus and something about how it functions. The zero click compromising of a mobile device popped up in a recent phone call with a fellow who operated a trash hauling service. There you go. That’s diffusing if yo8u ask me.
Has the craziness caused by digital Marshal Dillons and their sidekick Chesters stopped? Probably not.
Another knock on that has not exhausted its momentum is the chatter at certain conferences about waiting for the storm to blow over. Yeah, hopeful and optimistic as the dominoes continue to topple. Perhaps the cowboys will hit the bunk house and think about something other than becoming rich and buying discounted yachts once owned by Russian oligarchs.
Stephen E Arnold, March 1, 2022
NSO Group: Now Taking Legal Action to Protect Its Image
February 28, 2022
I am not sure how long this story will be online with legal eagles from media and the intelware company NSO Group taking flight. The story is “NSO Sues Israeli Paper after Explosive Articles on Police.” [Note: The estimable Associated Press may remove the MFTV 9 story or put it behind a paywall where great content should thrive.] The original story whipped up a buzz saw of chatter about one of the more high profile surveillance systems. The Pegasus brand has been trampled by the plodding mules ridden by individuals unaware of the specialized software and services business, their customers, and the unreasonable effectiveness of zero click exploits.
The write up states that NSO Group went to court and demanded that the Calcalist be held to account for a story which is allegedly not true.
And what does NSO Group want? About $300,000 US dollars.
This is an interesting story with security and political implications. But the Kosher Mehadrin margarine on the kubaneh is the charity angle. Is that a PR move by NSO Group?
What’s fascinating to me is that the NSO Group has found a way to remain in the news despite recent events in Ukraine, financial turmoil in financial markets, and the headline making mask wearing thing.
Is this helping or hurting the intelware and policeware vendors? From what I hear, the NSO Group’s PR generating activities has not had a significant impact on vendors based outside of Tel Aviv. Israeli vendors find that some of their MBA-inspired enthusiasm for expanding their market share has been dialed back.
A bigger problem for specialized services and software companies is that knowledge has diffused widely so that start ups operated by good actors and maybe less good actors are popping up. Plus, some of the once secret systems and methods are creeping into the open source software environment.
Maybe secrecy has some value when it comes to government related activities?
Stephen E Arnold, February 28, 2022
NSO Collateral Damage: Is an Intelware Bug Zapper at Work
February 11, 2022
I have shared my view about NSO Group: The company’s conversion from secret specialized services vendor to publicity magnet will have downstream consequences. If the information in “Another Israeli Firm Caught Selling Pegasus Hacking Tool for Exploiting iPhone Flaw to Shut Down” is accurate, the knock on effect or some type of advanced bug zapper has killed another intelware vendor. (A bug zapper is a device which is technically a system or device which uses a brief electrical pulse to incinerate insects. I do not own a bug zapper because the little critters deserve to live happy lives despite the chemicals the lawn care company dumps on the yard every couple of weeks.)
The zappers come in a variety of form factors. There are bug zappers which look like pickle ball rackets. These are loved by the over 65 crowd. Some look like 1950s spaceships (pictured below), and others are like big toasters with wires and a weird blue glow.
The write up offers some factoids about the QuaDream intelware vendor zapping:
- QuaDream could compromise iPhones in the manner of NSO Group’s Pegasus system. (Does this suggest that NSO Group’s systems and methods may have been shared in the specialized services’ technology community making QuaDream a reseller?)
- The app was called “Reign” as in “reign of terror” perhaps?
- The Reign solution cost upwards of $2.0 million US, excluding maintenance.
- Reign allegedly could turn on a compromised iPhone’s camera and microphone. (Be sure to look for the small colored dots, iPhone user.)
I have noticed that some Israeli specialized software vendors are forming partnerships with firms providing services to financial institutions, law firms, and other commercial outfits. This is a mad scramble for cover in my opinion. The problem is that when the systems’ functions are explained some executives get cold feet despite the appeal of the specialized systems’ functionality.
This must be quite thrilling for the investment firms who have bet that the market for intelware and policeware was large and going to grow, as Ed Sullivan used to say, “really big.”
A high stakes game is underway and now there’s the mysterious bug zapper at work.
Stephen E Arnold, February 11, 2022
NSO Group: Former Police Chief Demos Yoga One-Handed Tree Pose
February 10, 2022
Remember the NSO Group? If not, this post is not for you. I read a story from the scary Associated Press. The outfit said it would sue anyone who quoted too much of the richness of its stories. As a former employee of the Courier-Journal & Louisville Times Co., I am pretty easily frightened by outfits like the AP.
The story — should you be able to locate it online — is “Ex-Israeli Police Chief Dismisses Claims of Spyware Hacking.” The write up is typical AP stringer wonderfulness. The main point is that the 58 year old Roni Alsheikh made a video to explain that chatter, allegations, and assertions about alleged use of the NSO Group’s Pegasus specialized service tool was different. I believe this person; however, you may not. That’s okay.
An investigation is underway, and my hunch is that if — note the if — the NSO Group’s system was used, it was within the boundaries of authorized behavior. Innocent until proven guilty, not guilty by PR focused GenXers.
Now is the story spot on? Who knows.
My take on the write up is:
- The MBA-inspired drive for revenue created the NSO Group’s marketing and positioning. Big booths and compelling demos are powerful things, particularly when not shrouded in secrecy.
- The “sunlight” flooding the specialized software and services industry is spill over from the Silicon Valley behavior model. Yo, bro, problemo.
- The yoga exercise the one handed tree thing is not something 58 years olds do before having a morning mouthful of matzah brei.
The one-handed tree pose. It’s tough, correct? The NSO Group helped Roni Alsheikh get in this remarkable position. How long can one “hold” it? I would be able to do two, maybe three seconds with a couple of my research team propping me up.
NSO Group is creating interesting opportunities for retired law enforcement professionals. It’s the difficulty of the pose that is interesting to contemplate.
Stephen E Arnold, February 10, 2022
NSO Group: Another Ripple in the Intelware Sector
February 8, 2022
I read Haaretz’s article “Pegasus Scandal Is a Massive Can of Worms About to Erupt All Over Israel’s Elites.” Is a “commission of inquiry” into NSO Group and related topics a good idea, an inevitable action, or just handwaving after the train has left Tel Aviv Savidor Mercaz? Overturning previous legal decisions may be the least disruptive consequence of the NSO Group-type of publicity that specialized software and service firms are attracting.
There’s another twist. This write up states:
Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev announced the formation of a commission of inquiry into the police use of Pegasus after both he and Israel Police commissioner Kobi Shabtai had called for an external investigation into the matter. This was a major about-face from earlier statements…
What repercussions will result from this new group poking around in systems, methods, policies, customers, use cases, and functionalities?
My thought is that there will be louder thumps than those created by Ringo Star in the tune “Get Back.”
I found this line particularly interesting:
Netanyahu is also the pioneer of “Pegasus diplomacy,” using the cyber offense tool developed by the NSO Group as a sweetener for all manner of diplomatic and security agreements with foreign leaders – ranging from Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
When will the rest of the band kick in? Nope, says the write up:
This investigation has the potential to rock Israel’s political class, the law enforcement establishment, the intelligence community and Israel’s foreign relations. As a result, it is unlikely to go very far.
Stephen E Arnold, February 8, 2022
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