HAMAS steal private data of IDF soldiers via "romantic virus" - Israeli intelligence
Dozens of IDF soldiers lost their personal data after downloading unverified application through a link.
Following reports by several soldiers of suspicious online activities, a joint IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operation was conducted in order to identify accounts run by Hamas operatives.
Lasting several months, “Operation Hunter’s Network” identified dozens of accounts on social networks, such as Facebook, which allegedly operated with false or stolen identities with the intent to extract classified information from both regular and reservist soldiers.
According to senior Military Intelligence officials, these enemy accounts would reach out to IDF soldiers online, sometimes in romantic ways, and ask them to download applications that would infect them with Trojan horse viruses.
The applications used by Hamas included Wowo Messenger, SR Chat, and YeeCall Pro.
Once the virus was inserted on the phone, it would give Hamas operatives access to all photos, the soldier’s location, text messages and contacts. It would also have access to the phone’s camera and microphone, enabling it to take pictures and record conversations without the soldier knowing. It also had the ability to download hidden applications, such that if the application with the virus were deleted, the phone would remain compromised.
Suspicions were raised after the virtual seducers broke off contact with their soldier correspondents, who raised the alarm with their commanders.
Source: JPOST