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Showing posts with label cybersecurity breaches. Show all posts
Mobile Security Tools
Android Android Smartphone cybersecurity breaches Cybersecurity measures iOS Mobile Security Mobile Security Tools

Swiss Startup Soverli Introduces a Sovereign OS Layer to Secure Smartphones Beyond Android and iOS

 

A Swiss cybersecurity startup, Soverli, has introduced a new approach to mobile security that challenges how smartphones are traditionally protected. Instead of relying solely on Android or iOS, the company has developed a fully auditable sovereign operating system layer that can run independently alongside existing mobile platforms. The goal is to ensure that critical workflows remain functional even if the underlying operating system is compromised, without forcing users to abandon the convenience of modern smartphones. 

Soverli’s architecture allows multiple operating systems to operate simultaneously on a single device, creating a hardened environment that is logically isolated from Android or iOS. This design enables organizations to maintain operational continuity during cyber incidents, misconfigurations, or targeted attacks affecting the primary mobile OS. By separating critical applications into an independent software stack, the platform reduces reliance on the security posture of consumer operating systems alone. 

Early adoption of the technology is focused on mission-critical use cases, particularly within the public sector. Emergency services, law enforcement agencies, and firefighting units are among the first groups testing the platform, where uninterrupted communication and system availability are essential. By isolating essential workflows from the main operating system, these users can continue operating even if Android experiences failures or security breaches. The same isolation model is also relevant for journalists and human rights workers, who face elevated surveillance risks and require secure communication channels that remain protected under hostile conditions.  

According to Soverli’s leadership, the platform represents a shift in how mobile security is approached. Rather than assuming that the primary operating system will always remain secure, the company’s model is built around resilience and continuity. The sovereign layer is designed to stay operational even when Android is compromised, while still allowing users to retain the familiar smartphone experience they expect. Beyond government and critical infrastructure use cases, the platform is gaining attention from enterprises exploring secure bring-your-own-device programs. 

The technology allows employees to maintain a personal smartphone environment alongside a tightly controlled business workspace. This separation helps protect sensitive corporate data without intruding on personal privacy or limiting device functionality. The system integrates with mobile device management tools and incorporates auditable verification mechanisms to strengthen identity protection and compliance. The underlying technology was developed over four years at ETH Zurich and does not require specialized hardware modifications. 

Engineers designed the system to minimize the attack surface for sensitive applications while encrypting data within the isolated operating system. Users can switch between Android and the sovereign environment in milliseconds, balancing usability with enhanced security. Demonstrations have shown secure messaging applications operating inside the sovereign layer, remaining confidential even if the main OS is compromised. Soverli’s approach aligns with Europe’s broader push toward digital sovereignty, particularly in areas where governments and enterprises demand auditable and trustworthy infrastructure. 

Smartphones, often considered a weak link in enterprise security, are increasingly being re-evaluated as platforms capable of supporting sovereign-grade protection without sacrificing usability. Backed by $2.6 million in pre-seed funding, the company plans to expand its engineering team, deepen partnerships with device manufacturers, and scale integrations with enterprise productivity tools. Investors believe the technology could redefine mobile security expectations, positioning smartphones as resilient platforms capable of operating securely even in the face of OS-level compromise.
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SIM Swap Scams
Cyber Attacks Cybercrime Networks cybersecurity breaches Data Protection Strategies Digital Identity Risks Global Data Leaks Online Fraud Tactics Phishing Crimes SIM Swap Scams

The Digital Trail That Led Scammers to Her Personal and Financial Information


 

In an unmistakable demonstration of the speed and sophistication of modern financial fraud, investigators say a sum of almost six crore was transferred within a matter of minutes, passing through an extensive chain of locations and accounts before disappearing without leaving a trace. It all began in a plush condominium tower in a gated enclave in the National Capital Region. 

Over time, it unravelled to a modest three-room home in a Haryana village, and then onto a rented terrace room on the outskirts of Hyderabad, and then to 15 further states across the country. It has been reported that as the trail grew colder, the money passed through 28 bank accounts, touching 141 more, revealing the increasingly brazen precision with which organized cyber-fraud networks operate as they operate through their intricate, circuitous route. 

Sue’s experience is an example of how a single cyber-security breach can cause the unraveling of an entire digital life. The personal details she provided were later found circulating freely online, which served as the entranceway for criminals who carried out a SIM-swap attack, convincing the mobile network that they were the legitimate account holders and obtaining access to her number. By doing so, they were able to access nearly all of her online accounts and reset the credentials. 

A woman describes the experience as “horrible” because she recalls being hijacked from her Gmail account, having her bank logins repeatedly locked after failing security checks, and even having her credit card stolen. Over £3,000 worth of vouchers had been purchased before she was able to stop it from happening. She took multiple trips to both her bank and her mobile provider in order to get control back. 

Each of these visits provided her with a greater understanding of what had happened to her identity - yet even then, the scammers did not quit attempting to exploit her. There is a common pattern among cyber fraudsters which exploits trust, urgency, and fear in order to breach people's digital defences in order to take advantage of them.

The scammers use these techniques to exploit trust, urgency, and fear in order to gain access to their victims. In addition to impersonating banks, government agencies, delivery companies and well-known brands, these groups construct convincing narratives designed to make individuals make hurried decisions. 

There are numerous ways in which fraudsters use phishing emails that mimic official communications and redirect users to fraudulent websites, to vishing calls where fraudsters try to force targets into divulging OTPs, banking credentials, and smishing messages which warn of blocked cards or suspicious transactions to get recipients to click on their malicious links in the hope that they will become victims. 

The methods each use rely on social engineering, which refers to manipulating human behaviour rather than breaking technical systems, and have proven increasingly effective as more personal data is made available online. 

Experts point out that targeting a person does not necessarily mean they are wealthy; rather, anyone with a digital footprint is a potential target. India has become increasingly digitalized, which means that a greater amount of information can be stored, shared, and exposed on multiple platforms. This has created a greater opportunity for criminals to misuse that information, placing users in a much more vulnerable position than they are aware of. 

As a result of the wide-ranging exposure of data to scams in recent years, it has become fertile ground for global scam networks. A pattern that is highlighted by the number of high-profile breaches reported in the year 2025. Marks & Spencer revealed in April that there had been a similar substantial intrusion at its retail outlets, but they have yet to disclose exactly the extent of the attack. 

The Co-op confirmed that personal information of 6.5 million people had been compromised, whereas Marks & Spencer confirmed a similar intrusion in April. According to Harrods, the company's luxury retail operations were breached after the disclosure of 400,000 customer details, and Qantas announced that 5.7 million flyers' data was compromised. 

Data Breach Observatory of Proton Mail estimates that so far this year, 794 verified breaches have been identified from identifiable sources, which have exposed more than 300 million records in a combined fashion. In the opinion of cybersecurity specialist Eamonn Maguire, the theft of personal information is one of the primary reasons why criminals are willing to pay such high prices for this information, as this information can be used for fraud, blackmail, and even further cyberattacks. Yet there is still a conflict between the corporate response to victims and the standard of standard of care that they are expected to provide. 

While companies are required to inform customers and regulators, no universally accepted protocol has been established for what support the affected individuals should receive. A free credit monitoring service has become less popular compared to a time when it was a standard gesture: Ticketmaster offered it last year to those affected by its breach, but some companies have refused to do the same for companies like Marks & Spencer and Qantas. 

The Co-op, on the other hand, chose to give customers a £10 voucher that they could redeem only with a purchase of £40, a gesture that has been widely criticized as insufficient. More and more victims are turning to class-action lawsuits as frustration grows, though these suits usually do not succeed since it can be difficult to prove individual harm in such suits. 

The following exceptions exist: T-Mobile has begun distributing payments to 76 million subscribers in response to a breach in 2021 which affected 76 million of them, a settlement worth $350 million. The compensation is estimated to range between $50 and $300. Despite this expanding threat landscape, experts warn vigilance and accountability are now essential components of effective protection as authorities struggle to cope with the resulting challenges. 

There is a call for individuals to monitor their financial activity closely and protect themselves from identity theft by enabling multifactor authentication and by treating unsolicited phone calls and messages with suspicion. Furthermore, policy-makers are urging clearer breach-response standards to ensure companies don't leave victims alone to deal with the fallout. 

It has become increasingly evident that cyber-fraud networks are becoming more agile and that data leaks have become more widespread and routine. Protecting one's digital identity is no longer an option, it is the first and most crucial defense against a system that too often in its favors the attacker.
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secure email gateways
Credential Theft Cyber Security Cyber Threats cybersecurity breaches Group-IB report Phishing Campaign phishing techniques secure email gateways

Group-IB Unveils Sophisticated Phishing Campaign Targeting Global Organizations

 


A recent report by Group-IB has exposed a highly advanced phishing campaign targeting employees from 30 companies across 15 jurisdictions. Using trusted domains and cutting-edge personalization techniques, attackers have bypassed Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) and exploited victims in critical sectors such as finance, government, aerospace, and energy.

Advanced Obfuscation and Multi-Layered Deception

The investigation, initiated in July 2024, uncovered the attackers' use of:

  • Over 200 phishing links hosted on legitimate platforms like Adobe’s InDesign cloud service and Google AMP.
  • Techniques to bypass detection systems that typically block suspicious or unknown domains.

“Nine out of ten cyberattacks start with a phishing email, making it the most common entry point for threat actors,” the report emphasized.

Phishing Emails That Mimic Trusted Brands

The attackers used professionally designed phishing emails that impersonated well-known brands, including:

  • DocuSign, prompting victims to sign fake contracts.
  • Adobe-hosted links, disguising fraudulent login pages as critical documents.

These emails featured professional formatting, familiar logos, and dynamically personalized elements. For example, by extracting a victim’s email domain, the attackers matched logos and page titles to the targeted organization, enhancing credibility.

“Scammers use a technique that dynamically pulls company logos from the official website to make the phishing links look legitimate,” the report noted.

Exploitation of APIs for Realistic Branding

The attackers leveraged APIs like https://logo.clearbit.com/[company domain] to integrate authentic logos into phishing sites. This seamless branding approach increased user trust and made phishing attempts harder to detect.

Concealing Operations with URL Redirection and Encoding

To evade detection, attackers used:

  • URL redirections via Google AMP to create complex trails.
  • Encoded parameters to obscure the attack path.

Victims were redirected to phishing pages that appeared legitimate, with pre-filled email addresses further enhancing the illusion of authenticity. Once users entered their credentials, the stolen data was sent to Command-and-Control (C2) servers or Telegram bots via API endpoints.

Advanced Data Exfiltration Techniques

The phishing sites contained JavaScript snippets that transmitted stolen credentials using Base64 encoding, effectively hiding the data during analysis. Group-IB analysts observed: “The JSON response from Telegram’s API confirms that the stolen credentials were successfully sent to a private chat controlled by the attacker.”

Ongoing Evolution in Phishing Tactics

Group-IB warns that these techniques signify a continuous evolution in phishing methodologies: “Threat actors are quickly adapting, constantly refining and improving their techniques to bypass security measures and exploit vulnerabilities.”

Conclusion: A Growing Need for Vigilance

This campaign serves as a stark reminder of the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats. Organizations must strengthen their defenses and educate employees to identify and respond to increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts.

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