Skip to content

At The Identity Organisation, we're here to help!

    Your privacy is important to us, and we want to communicate with you in a way which has your consent and which is in line with UK Law on data protection. As a result of a change in UK law on 25th May 2018, by providing us with your personal details you consent to us processing your data in line with current GDPR requirements.

    Here is where you can review our Privacy & GDPR Statement

    To remove consent at any time, please e-mail info@tidorg.com with the word "unsubscribe" as the subject.

    +44 (0) 1628 308038 info@tidorg.com

    Warning: Russian Threat Actors Are Targeting Signal Accounts With Malicious QR Codes

    Several Russian state-sponsored threat actors are using QR code phishing (quishing) to compromise Signal accounts, according to researchers at Google’s Threat Intelligence Group.

    The QR codes are designed to grant access to the account via Signal’s Linked Devices feature.

    “The most novel and widely used technique underpinning Russian-aligned attempts to compromise Signal accounts is the abuse of the app’s legitimate ‘linked devices’ feature that enables Signal to be used on multiple devices concurrently,” the researchers explain.

    “Because linking an additional device typically requires scanning a quick-response (QR) code, threat actors have resorted to crafting malicious QR codes that, when scanned, will link a victim’s account to an actor-controlled Signal instance. If successful, future messages will be delivered synchronously to both the victim and the threat actor in real-time, providing a persistent means to eavesdrop on the victim’s secure conversations without the need for full-device compromise.”

    These phishing attacks are currently targeting individuals related to the war in Ukraine, but Google warns that this technique will likely be adopted by additional threat actors to target people around the world.

    “Signal’s popularity among common targets of surveillance and espionage activity—such as military personnel, politicians, journalists, activists, and other at-risk communities—has positioned the secure messaging application as a high-value target for adversaries seeking to intercept sensitive information that could fulfill a range of different intelligence requirements,” the researchers write.

    “More broadly, this threat also extends to other popular messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which are also being actively targeted by Russian-aligned threat groups using similar techniques.”

    Google says users should “exercise caution when interacting with QR codes and web resources purporting to be software updates, group invites, or other notifications that appear legitimate and urge immediate action.”

    KnowBe4 empowers your workforce to make smarter security decisions every day. Over 70,000 organizations worldwide trust the KnowBe4 platform to strengthen their security culture and reduce human risk.

    Google has the story.


    Free Phishing Security Test

    Would your users fall for convincing phishing attacks? Take the first step now and find out before bad actors do. Plus, see how you stack up against your peers with phishing Industry Benchmarks. The Phish-prone percentage is usually higher than you expect and is great ammo to get budget.

    Here’s how it works:

    • Immediately start your test for up to 100 users (no need to talk to anyone)
    • Select from 20+ languages and customize the phishing test template based on your environment
    • Choose the landing page your users see after they click
    • Show users which red flags they missed, or a 404 page
    • Get a PDF emailed to you in 24 hours with your Phish-prone % and charts to share with management
    • See how your organization compares to others in your industry

    PS: Don’t like to click on redirected buttons? Cut & Paste this link in your browser: https://info.knowbe4.com/phishing-security-test-partner?partnerid=001a000001lWEoJAAW

    Sign Up to the TIO Intel Alerts!

    Back To Top