These days, there are far too many cyberthreats. Criminals are always on the lookout for ways they can hack into the phones of ordinary people. You may already know about phishing scams, vulnerabilities, and malware. But recently, there is a new hardware-based method that hackers utilize. Here’s what you need to know about it.
This was recently discovered by researchers from Zhejiang University (China) and Technical University of Darmstadt (Germany). NordVPN reported to TechRadar that bad actors are making use of electromagnetic signals so that users’ can unlock smartphones. Called GhostTouch, this method uses signals that are capable of stimulating gestures, such as tapping and swapping on the display. In doing so, hackers are able to access a user’s sensitive information like his passwords and banking apps once a device has been unlocked.
How does the GhostTouch method take place? A hacker simply needs to be close to his victim, within 40mm range so that a connection can be established. The electromagnetic signal then does its job to get the information needed. Once the signals have been collected, the victim’s device will already be vulnerable to attacks, even if he is no longer beside the attacker.
NordVPN’s cybersecurity expert, Adrianus Warmenhoven said:
“Unfortunately, the most common places for touchscreen hacking are public places like libraries, cafes, or conference lobbies, where people place their smartphones face-down on the table. The attackers prepare the equipment under the table in advance and launch the attack remotely. The user may not even notice that their gadget has been hacked."
The report identified nine smartphones that are vulnerable to the method. This includes the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, Apple iPhone SE (2020), Nokia 7.2, and Redmi 8.
Additionally, the report detailed that the popular search phrase that people use in connection to the hack is “phone unlocks itself.” The query has also generated 209 million results but does not necessarily mean these are victims of the hack.
Source: TechRadar
