this post was submitted on 21 May 2026
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[–] AmbitiousProcess@piefed.social 45 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Depends. Obviously when they say "secret spyware" that means it is, in fact, secret, and we don't know which spyware they're using, but as the article notes it could be Paragon Solutions.

They have a system called Graphite, but that primarily targets just instant messaging platforms. If the article is to be believed when it says it could activate your camera, that would signal to me it's more likely something from NSO Group, like their Pegasus spyware that can also access your camera, GPS coordinates, and more.

All of these are going to be reliant on zero-day exploits, essentially exploits that aren't known to anyone yet and are still unpatched. All exploits will be a little different, but when it comes to mobile spyware, we usually see them delivered either through texts, websites, or email.

Those attacks can either be someone just receiving the text (even if they don't click on it, AKA a "zero click" attack), or maybe having to actually go to a particular website with the exploit baked in, or running an attachment from an email.

[–] Canuck@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Joke's on them, my phone runs GNU/Linux and has hardware kill switches for the mic/camera and for the cellular baseband which I use while at home, instead using Wi-Fi calling

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (3 children)
[–] Canuck@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 month ago

2 phones today ship today with that, the Purism Librem 5 and the PinePhone Pro.

In addition to an expected eventual 5G re-release of these models, the Liberux Nexx, and I suppose there will be a Brax 4 with it, given that their open slate tablet has them first.

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'd assume the Pinephone (Pro).

[–] 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago

Or purism... if they still exist or ever shippef a phone. Havent followed them in a while

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

The "my case has a thing on it that covers the camera" phone? Idk about the mic tho

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I dunno, in the states they have the 'secret service' but I can definitely see them. Something tells me 'secret' things aren't so secret...