Messenger service: BKA can also read your WhatsApp

Encrypted communication poses major problems for the security authorities. According to research by WDR and BR, however, the BKA has long been able to read chats via WhatsApp - via a regular function.

Only with a great deal of effort, such as the use of state spy software, the so-called "state Trojan", encrypted chats can be monitored by criminals - this is what the security authorities used to say. Monitoring communications via messenger services such as WhatsApp is one of the greatest challenges for law enforcement agencies, he says. Since the providers of the programs do not allow the authorities to read them secretly, they are in fact forced to use spy software.

According to research by BR and WDR, however, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has been able to monitor communications via WhatsApp for several years - even without having to install monitoring software on the target person's mobile phone.

Regular WhatsApp function used
According to this, the BKA department "Information Technology Surveillance" (OE 24) has apparently found a way to access encrypted WhatsApp chats. "The BKA has a method that can make it possible to trace text, video, image and voice short messages from a WhatsApp account in real time," according to an internal letter from the police authority. The WhatsApp contacts of a target person could also be "made public" in this way.

Apparently, investigators are using the possibility that WhatsApp can also be controlled via the Internet browser. This function is called "WhatsApp Web". It is a regular function, as the investigators emphasize in their letter. However, in order to be able to perform such an action, the investigators must have temporary access to the target's mobile phone and then synchronize the chats with the WhatsApp browser version. Only then can the investigators read along unnoticed.

In the opinion of the BKA, this method is surveillance in accordance with Section 100a of the Code of Criminal Procedure - i.e. regular telecommunications surveillance with a court order. Although chat histories can be read extensively, this is not surveillance as for example through the use of the so-called state Trojan.

👀 🇩🇪 👉🏼 https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/bka-whatsapp-101.html

#wa #DeleteWhatsApp #germany #BKA #thinkabout
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Europol Innovation Laboratory

While end-to-end encryption is to be generally weakened, Europol is developing new applications for secure communication for the police. Some of the measures are part of the "European Police Partnership" proclaimed by the German EU Council Presidency. These include the "WhatsApp for law enforcement officers" project.

👀 👉🏼 (PDF)
https://www.statewatch.org/media/1474/eu-council-europol-innovation-lab-update-12859-20.pdf

#europol #bka #encryption #whatsapp
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Malware "Emotet" dismantled

German investigators have taken over and smashed the infrastructure of the "Emotet" malware, which is considered the most dangerous in the world. The software had also attacked the IT infrastructure of government agencies and hospitals.

German investigators have taken over and smashed the infrastructure of the "Emotet" malware, which is considered the world's most dangerous. This was achieved on Tuesday as part of an internationally concerted action, the BKA announced.

"Emotet" had caused considerable damage to the Berlin Court of Appeal, the Fürth Clinic and the Frankfurt am Main city administration, among others - and also to tens of thousands of private individuals.

https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/emotet-bka-101.html

#malware #emotet #bka #germany #busted
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Emotet - Takedown

What the fuck is this week? Lazarus Group targeting researchers, iPhone exploits, Chrome 0days, sudo 0days, and now Emotet is taken down? Holy christ...

https://nitter.net/vxunderground/status/1354411600367808518#m

#malware #botnet #emotet #bka #europol #busted #takedown #video
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