Google: Spyware vendors are pushing zero-day attacks

Google has called for action on the growing threat spyware vendors pose to users, warning that such companies are a driving force behind zero-day exploits.

Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) on Tuesday released a new report titled “Buying Espionage: Insights into Commercial Surveillance Vendors,” highlighting the ongoing and continued exploitation of spyware. TAG researchers demonstrated that this threat persists due to the ability of commercial surveillance vendors (CSVs) to develop exploit chains that leverage both zero-day and known vulnerabilities.

CSV's role in zero-day exploits was the focus of the TAG report, which included some alarming data. For example, Google attributes half of the known zero-day exploits used against its products to CSV.

TAG senior director Shane Huntley warned in an accompanying blog post on Tuesday that CSV offers “paid tools” bundled with surveillance software and exploit chains that circumvent security measures on targeted devices. He said, “Private companies have been involved in discovering and selling exploits for many years, but turnkey spying solutions are on the rise.

The report also detailed the real-life harm that spyware caused to journalists, human rights defenders, and government opponents, or what TAG called “high-risk users.” In March, TAG detailed campaigns the company had investigated that showed CSV was increasingly exploiting zero-days against his Android, iOS, and Chrome, but the issue has now been resolved. This is more than a warning. A new TAG report says government, industry and civil action is needed to combat the spyware threat.

“TAG continues to see CSV tools being used in ways that harm not only targeted individuals but society as a whole,” the report states.

Global government efforts over the past two years have had an impact, but more efforts are needed to generate sustained action, TAG said. This sentiment was echoed by Bill Marczak, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, in his SANS Cyber ​​Threat Intelligence Summit keynote speech last week.

Citizen Lab helps investigate and stop commercial spyware exploits. However, Mr Marchak emphasized CSV's ability to adapt quickly to any opposition and, like TAG, argued that this threat requires additional government and industry action.

In addition to CSV quickly adapting to bad publicity by changing names multiple times, the TAG report notes that new companies emerge every year. Google researchers said the number of CSVs around the world is “uncountable.”

Currently, TAG tracks approximately 40 CSVs that develop and sell exploits and spyware to government customers. Examples include NSO Group, which has been hit by multiple lawsuits, and his high-profile CSVs, such as his Italy-based Cy4Gate and Intellexa.

TAG discovered that Cy4Gate's Epeius software exploited five zero-day vulnerabilities to target Android. Greece-based Intellexa has exploited 15 zero-days against Google and other products.

“We have high confidence that CSV Intellexa has packaged these vulnerabilities and sold the hacking software to at least eight governments, including Egypt, Armenia, Greece, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Serbia, Spain, and Indonesia. “There are,” the report states.

Packaged exploits, services

This report highlights that CSV not only sells spyware, but also the infrastructure it provides to its customers. CSV provides technical expertise and helps develop exploit chains to deliver malware and maintain persistence on target devices. In addition to CSV itself, the spyware market is made up of vulnerability researchers who discover and sell zero-day flaws, exploit developers and brokers who weaponize those flaws, and government customers who purchase finished spyware products. .

TAG said CSV poses a risk to users, just like any other threat actor. Researchers attribute most of the zero-days they discovered to his CSV. However, unlike cybercriminals, they operate openly.

“Third, if governments had a monopoly on the most advanced functions, those days are certainly over. The private sector is now responsible for the majority of the most advanced tools we have detected. ” states the report. “In 2023, TAG found 25 zero-days actively exploited in the wild, 20 of which were exploited by CSV.”

TAG researchers discovered 72 real-world zero-day exploits between mid-2014 and 2023, 35 of which were attributed to CSV. TAG estimates that number is likely even higher and noted how CSV is accelerating its efforts to develop its own zero-day exploits. For example, researchers discovered 53 zero-day exploits between 2019 and 2023, 33 of which were developed by CSV.

While this battle is often in CSV's favor, vulnerability researchers are fighting back. “Exploit chains are expensive and difficult to develop. Every time Google or other security researchers discover and publish a new bug, it creates friction in the CSV and costs the development cycle,” the report states. .

This exploit typically affects Google's Android OS and Chrome web browser. TAG pointed out that the spyware industry is particularly focused on targeting mobile devices, and customers can pay high fees to spy on multiple devices at the same time. This report highlights the pricing model for Intellexa's Nova system.

“Eight million customers receive the ability to install spyware implants on Android and iOS devices using a remote one-click exploit chain, allowing them to run up to 10 spyware implants at the same time,” the report said.

While CSV is clearly adept at hacking mobile devices, TAG said new mitigations developed by vendors such as Apple have temporarily stopped some exploits. This report also highlights CSV's ability to adapt to such defenses and develop new exploits.

Can I stop CSV?

TAG said continued government regulation and policy is needed to combat spyware abuse, but recent sanctions have yet to shut down CSV. One prime example is NSO. NSO was sanctioned by the United States and the European Union in 2021, but continues to operate.

While investigating the devices of a civil service organization in Washington, D.C., in September, Citizen Lab discovered a zero-click, zero-day exploit it dubbed “BlastPass.” This exploit chain involved two of Apple's vulnerabilities and was used to distribute NSO Group's Pegasus spyware.

TAG discovered NSO activity more recently. Google revealed on December 20th his heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-7204, that has been exploited in the wild against web browsers.

In a report on Tuesday, TAG linked the vulnerability to spyware, although the target is unknown. “In December 2023, TAG discovered Chrome 0-day, CVE-2023-7204, used by NSO customers,” the report said.

Despite NSO Group's persistence, TAG praised the US sanctions imposed against the vendor as well as Intellexa and another Israeli-based CSV, Candira.Meanwhile, TAG called for further sanctions that would limit CSV's ability to operate or generate revenue in the US.

TAG's report comes in line with new US State Department policy announced on Monday to further address the spyware threat. The policy imposes visa restrictions on individuals “involved in the misuse of commercial spyware.”

Transparency was another key element that TAG petitioned to thwart CSV. Google researchers called on governments to “increase transparency” by setting requirements for the domestic surveillance industry and being more candid about the spyware it uses.

“At this point, we believe the harms of this industry are sufficiently clear that they outweigh the benefits of continued use.”

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