New app deletes messages before recipients get to read them

Ever written a text message, clicked send then felt regret afterwards? Or ever discovered an embarrassing screenshot of your drunken escapade, roaming around social media?

Well worry no more, as a new app called ‘Protect you Privates!’ aims to tackle both these social nightmares by allowing users to delete messages, even after they’ve already been sent.

The new security app comes with a built-in function which prevents recipients from taking screen grabs of photos and videos, while also blocking unauthorized sending and leaking copies of messages.

As per reports from UK-based media, Mirror Online, the app comes with end-to-end encryption, including a ‘recall’ button which will delete messages on the users and recipients’ respective phones.

Speed, however, will be key for users, as the process only works if a message remains unopened.

Also, much like Snapchat’s security setting, Protect your Privates will also automatically delete unread messages after either 24, 12 or three hours, depending on the user’s preference.

Meanwhile, the app’s creator Dr. Isaac Datikashvili revealed that he had originally designed the app as a way of securely transferring medical records.

It was only after the overall design process that he saw the potential uses in personal messaging.

For now, Protect your Privates is only exclusive for iOS users, but developers claimed that they are working to extend its services to Windows and Android phones as well. Khristian Ibarrola

source: technology.inquirer.net

iOS users warned versus spy app

 

Mobile securit researchers warn of a mobile app that may have been used to collect users' personal data as part of an  "economic and political cyber-espionage operation" targeting military, governments, defense, and media—with civilians unwittingly caught up as collateral damage.

Users of Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch running iOS were warned this week against an espionage app being used in a targeted attack campaign.

 

Trend Micro said the app is used in Operation Pawn Storm, an "economic and political cyber-espionage operation" whose targets include the military, governments, defense and media.

 

"We believe the iOS malware gets installed on already compromised systems, and it is very similar to next stage SEDNIT malware we have found for Microsoft Windows’ systems," researchers Lambert Sun, Brooks Hong and Feike Hacquebord said in a blog post.

 

According to the researchers, they found two malicious iOS applications in Operation Pawn Storm.

 

One of the two, IOS_ XAGENT.B, uses the name of a legitimate iOS game "MadCap." The second was identified as XAgent (IOS_XAGENT.A).

 

Both apps are related to SEDNIT, which the researchers said aims to personal data, record audio, make screenshots, and send them to a remote command-and-control server.

 

"As of this publishing, the C&C server contacted by the iOS malware is live," Trend Micro said.

 

XAgent, once installed on iOS 7, hides its icon and runs in the background immediately.

 

"When we try to terminate it by killing the process, it will restart almost immediately," the researchers said.

 

But on iOS 8, the icon is not hidden and it cannot restart automatically.

 

"This suggests that the malware was designed prior to the release of iOS 8 last September 2014," they said.

 

The researchers said the app is designed to collect all kind of information on an iOS device and can:

 

• Collect text messages
• Get contact lists
• Get pictures
• Collect geo-location data
• Start voice recording
• Get a list of installed apps
• Get a list of processes
• Get the Wi-Fi status

 

Even works on un-Jailbroken phones

 

What is potentially dangerous is that the iOS device "doesn’t have to be jailbroken per se," the researchers said.

 

"We have seen one instance wherein a lure involving XAgent simply says 'Tap Here to Install the Application.' The app uses Apple’s ad hoc provisioning, which is a standard distribution method of Apple for iOS App developers," they said.

 

Via ad hoc provisioning, the researchers said the malware can be installed simply by clicking on a link. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com