Oh s#!t, Sherlock

Summary

Israeli software maker Insanet has developed a commercial product called Sherlock that can infect devices via online adverts to snoop on targets and collect data about them for the biz’s clients. This is the first time details of Insanet and its surveillanceware have been made public. Sherlock is capable of drilling its way into Microsoft Windows, Google Android, and Apple iOS devices. Insanet received approval from Israel’s Defense Ministry to sell Sherlock globally as a military product albeit under various tight restrictions, such as only selling to Western nations.

To market its snoopware, Insanet reportedly teamed up with Candiru, an Israel-based spyware maker that has been sanctioned in the US, to offer Sherlock along with Candiru’s spyware.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Director of Activism Jason Kelley said Insanet’s use of advertising technology to infect devices and spy on clients’ targets makes it especially worrisome.

There are some measures netizens can take to protect themselves from Sherlock and other data-harvesting technologies.

  • not loading JavaScript
  • using ad blockers or privacy-aware browsers
  • not clicking on advertisements
  • pass consumer data privacy laws
  • Hamartiogonic
    5·
    1 year ago

    It’s a really strange concept, but there are people who use ads to discover new products that solve specific problems they have. This method is just so flawed in so many ways, that I don’t even know where to begin. Obviously, it’s not the method I would use or recommend, but there really are people who do it this way.

    I get the feeling the there’s a lot of overlap between the people who are tech savvy, privacy aware, use Linux and are on Lemmy. Therefore, there’s a pretty good chance that it’s going to be very hard to find ad clicking people in here, but you never know. If any of you are reading this: Hello. Please make an AMA. I have so many questions.