iPhone flaw exploited by second Israeli spy firm (reuters.com)

Article summary

An Israeli spy firm has been found to be exploiting a flaw in iPhones, similar to another Israeli firm. The comments suggest that the vulnerability may have been bought from the same source or reverse-engineered. The discussion revolves around the ethics and implications of such exploits. The firms involved do not seem to offer defensive cybersecurity services, raising questions about their intentions.

Main themes

• iPhone exploits
• Israeli spy firms
• cybersecurity ethics
• national security implications
• state-sponsored spying
• exploit development and sales

What commenters say

• Buying the company responsible for the exploits may not be an effective solution to eliminate the threat to iPhone security.
• Some people believe that Apple could potentially buy the company and use it as an internal defense group, but others argue that this would not be feasible or beneficial.
• The exploits may be being bought and resold by the companies involved, rather than being developed in-house.
• There are concerns about the involvement of national security agencies and the potential for companies like NSO to be used as fronts for state-sponsored spying.
• The idea of Apple buying NSO is seen as unlikely due to national security issues and the potential for NSO employees to be under the influence of Israeli security agencies.
• Some argue that the exploits are likely being developed by a large team, while others believe that they are being bought from external sources.
• The discussion also touches on the ethics of developing and selling exploits, with some arguing that it is a unique trait of certain countries to engage in such activities.
• There is a suggestion that disgruntled employees may be selling exploits, but this is seen as a serious accusation that requires evidence.