German police read WhatsApp messages without cracking encryption
cybernews.com
45 days of Signal history may be exposed by German police messaging surveillance using linked devices, Netzpolitik says. Read what the documents reveal

cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/71321898

Netzpoltik details that police are able to gain access in this way either through physical access to someone’s phone or by intercepting verification codes via a state-sanctioned phishing attack or intercepting SMS messages via telephone surveillance

    • Brewchin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      4 days ago

      I’ll never understand why people accept SMS 2FA as any kind of security. Might as well put it as an ad in a newspaper. 🤦🏻‍♂️

      • tumbling4986@lemmy.caEnglish
        0·
        4 days ago

        Because many services only have SMS as 2FA option. Especially government services.

        Also it is impossible to use google without enabling the SMS 2FA option. No matter what, with only 2FA authenticator app or email, they will lock down the account by saying “unable to verify”.

        • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
          0·
          4 days ago

          I never set a phone number on two of my google accounts and they still work fine. Those accounts are old. Google didn’t ask for a phone number to sign up back then.

          I recall seeing something about them planning to get rid of SMS 2FA last year. It looks like it’s still an option though.