Tech Firms' Fake Accounts Targeted Critics Across Borders
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Italian surveillance companies Cy4Gate, RCS Lab, and IPS Intelligence used hundreds of fake AI-generated profiles on Facebook and Instagram to spy on journalists, activists, and dissidents.
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The fake personas tried to trick targets into clicking links to reveal their IP addresses or sharing personal information for reconnaissance.
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Targets were located in Italy as well as countries like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tunisia, and Mexico.
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The spyware from Cy4Gate and RCS Lab can infiltrate iPhones and Android devices to monitor messages, calls, photos, and more.
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Meta removed the fake accounts and is trying to disrupt surveillance campaigns earlier in the attack chain before spyware can compromise people's devices.