Developer Who Built Spyware Targeted by Government Spyware on Personal iPhone
By
speckx
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
A developer who previously worked for Trenchant, a Western government hacking tools maker, received an Apple notification that his personal iPhone was targeted with mercenary spyware. This appears to be the first documented case of someone who builds exploits and spyware being targeted themselves. The developer, who was recently fired from Trenchant over suspicions of leaking company tools, expressed panic and confusion about the attack, highlighting the irony and security implications of spyware developers becoming victims.
Key quotes
· 4 pulled"Apple detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against your iPhone."
"I was panicking," Jay Gibson, who asked that we don't use his real name over fears of retaliation, told TechCrunch.
"What the hell is going on? I really didn't know what to think of it,"
Gibson, who until recently built surveillance technologies for Western government hacking tools maker Trenchant, may be the first documented case of someone who builds exploits and spyware being themselves targeted with spyware.
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