Bangladesh introduces Israeli Spyware to monitor local social media

[Bilal9]

Govt to introduce ‘lawful system’ to monitor social media: Home minister​

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Photo: Collected

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Photo: Collected

The government has taken initiative to introduce an "Integrated Lawful Interception System (ILIS)" in a bid to monitor social media platforms and thwart various anti-state and anti-government activities, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Thursday.

The home minister divulged the matter in parliament while replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League lawmaker from Dhaka-10 Md Shafiul Islam, reports UNB.
Shafiul wanted to know whether the government will increase vigilance to thwart local and foreign conspiracies inside the country.

In reply, the home minister said law enforcement and intelligence agencies are working relentlessly to thwart any kind of conspiracy against the country.

"Besides, modern technology like Open Source Intelligence Technology (OSINT) has been included in the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre to prevent different anti-state and anti-government activities through monitoring social media platforms on the Internet," he said.

Asaduzzaman said efforts were also made to introduce the ILIS in this regard.

Govt to take control of NIDs

Replying to a question from an opposition lawmaker, The home minister also said the government is working to bring the process of national identity card registration and all relevant tasks under its direct control as it is a practical step followed by almost all other countries.

The Election Commission has no role in the national identity card management other than registering voters, but people need the cards for many other reasons including bank account opening, job applications, utility service connections, availing numerous government benefits and more.

Furthermore, all Bangladeshi nationals and not just those aged over 18 need the cards.

Thus, instead of keeping national identity cards under the Election Commission's mandate, the government should take direct control over them.

The Security Services Division of the Home Ministry is set to oversee national identity card management once all the necessary procedures are completed, he clarified.

He said the army was tasked with preparing a voter list in 2007. As a by-product of the project national identity card registrations were started. But, as the scope of using a national identity card has increased manifold since then, it is no longer sensible to keep them under the Election Commission, the minister hinted.

https://cybernews.com/news/israel-sells-spyware-bangladesh/

 

[Imran Khan]

it seems BD will be next costumer of pegasus from israili company via EU

 

[INS_Vikrant]

it seems BD will be next costumer of pegasus

It already is

 

[Bilal9]

it seems BD will be next costumer of pegasus from israili company via EU

Check out the link at the end of the original post. BTW Modi IT cell also uses it, don't know about Pakistan.

 

[Imran Khan]

Check out the link at the end of the original post. BTW Modi IT cell also uses it, don't know about Pakistan.

Pakistani agencies using US made systems sir for example US made system ranger

 

[R Wing]

Pakistani agencies using US made systems sir for example US made system ranger

I remember when the US had given the IB some sophisticated systems as it was having certain trust issues with the US (or simply wanted to hedge its bets and prevent a total institutional monopoly), and the IB ended up bugging the DG I's phone. The evidence of a planned regime change by the then DG ISI was provided to Nawaz Sharif, who apparently then confronted the COAS... who then transferred that DG ISI.

This is in the public domain.

 

[fallstuff]

Govt to introduce ‘lawful system’ to monitor social media: Home minister​

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Photo: Collected

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Photo: Collected

The government has taken initiative to introduce an "Integrated Lawful Interception System (ILIS)" in a bid to monitor social media platforms and thwart various anti-state and anti-government activities, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Thursday.

The home minister divulged the matter in parliament while replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League lawmaker from Dhaka-10 Md Shafiul Islam, reports UNB.
Shafiul wanted to know whether the government will increase vigilance to thwart local and foreign conspiracies inside the country.

In reply, the home minister said law enforcement and intelligence agencies are working relentlessly to thwart any kind of conspiracy against the country.

"Besides, modern technology like Open Source Intelligence Technology (OSINT) has been included in the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre to prevent different anti-state and anti-government activities through monitoring social media platforms on the Internet," he said.

Asaduzzaman said efforts were also made to introduce the ILIS in this regard.

Govt to take control of NIDs

Replying to a question from an opposition lawmaker, The home minister also said the government is working to bring the process of national identity card registration and all relevant tasks under its direct control as it is a practical step followed by almost all other countries.

The Election Commission has no role in the national identity card management other than registering voters, but people need the cards for many other reasons including bank account opening, job applications, utility service connections, availing numerous government benefits and more.

Furthermore, all Bangladeshi nationals and not just those aged over 18 need the cards.

Thus, instead of keeping national identity cards under the Election Commission's mandate, the government should take direct control over them.

The Security Services Division of the Home Ministry is set to oversee national identity card management once all the necessary procedures are completed, he clarified.

He said the army was tasked with preparing a voter list in 2007. As a by-product of the project national identity card registrations were started. But, as the scope of using a national identity card has increased manifold since then, it is no longer sensible to keep them under the Election Commission, the minister hinted.

https://cybernews.com/news/israel-sells-spyware-bangladesh/

Kamal has just about enough brain cells to qualify as a door knob. And he used that up to buy spyware made in Israel !

 

[bluesky]

I hope the Home Minister Assduzzaman Khan will not use the Israeli device to monitor anti-BAL group in the PDF.

Many will then be arrested in the Dhaka Airport on arrival. Am I safe?

 

[Bilal9]

I think the Home Minister Assduzzaman Khan will not use the Israeli device to monitor anti-BAL group in the PDF. Many will then be arrested in the Dhaka Airport on arrival. Am I safe?

They cannot monitor websites outside of Bangladesh. As far as I know. They just want to control dissent inside Bangladesh.

The spyware works by tapping conversations and looking for signature words in cellphone transmissions I believe.

 

[fallstuff]

I think the Home Minister Assduzzaman Khan will not use the Israeli device to monitor anti-BAL group in the PDF. Many will then be arrested in the Dhaka Airport on arrival. Am I safe?

Have I been targeted by Pegasus?​

It’s important to outline this first: It is extremely unlikely you have been targeted by Pegasus. NSO Group, which makes Pegasus, claims the spyware is only used on criminals such as terrorists.

There is evidence it has been used outside of this subset, and it has been found on the phones of people close to Khashoggi, the journalist who was murdered in 2018 for example. But the spyware is very targeted even when misused, and you only have to worry if you are a business leader, journalist or dissident or close to someone like this in an oppressive regime. The average person should remain calm.

The list of alleged Pegasus targets has been reported to include 50,000 people, but in reality it is much smaller. Respected journalist Kim Zetter has written a great article on the real figures and risk of Pegasus.

Pegasus Spyware: This New App Says It Can Instantly Check For Pegasus

Pegasus spyware might be becoming a bit easier to find, because iVerify has added the capability to detect the malware to its smartphone app.

www.forbes.com

They cannot monitor websites outside of Bangladesh. As far as I know. They just want to control dissent inside Bangladesh.

The spyware works by tapping conversations and looking for signature words in cellphone transmissions I believe.

On iPhone opening an unsolicited text can get Pegasus installed. I doubt BAL bought that many seat licenses to use it on millions of people.

 

[TheSolution]

I remember when the US had given the IB some sophisticated systems as it was having certain trust issues with the US (or simply wanted to hedge its bets and prevent a total institutional monopoly), and the IB ended up bugging the DG I's phone. The evidence of a planned regime change by the then DG ISI was provided to Nawaz Sharif, who apparently then confronted the COAS... who then transferred that DG ISI.

This is in the public domain.

Realistically though, even if Nawaz Sharif came to find out about it, they could've still went through with it if they wanted

Just like how they are refusing to back down against IK who has even more national support

 

[fallstuff]

no longer any need to click on anything to get it installed, if they want you they'll install it without you doing anything.

Very much possible if you have network level access and can exploit OS vulenarablity.

 

[bluesky]

So, with this spyware system installed by Asaduzzaman Khan, BD becomes another authoritarian state like North Korea.

No freedom of expression and no fair election because of this. Now, the BAL party will know every talk the opposition utters, and every action it takes.

BD-NK bhai-bhai.

 

[Bilal9]

Have I been targeted by Pegasus?​

It’s important to outline this first: It is extremely unlikely you have been targeted by Pegasus. NSO Group, which makes Pegasus, claims the spyware is only used on criminals such as terrorists.

There is evidence it has been used outside of this subset, and it has been found on the phones of people close to Khashoggi, the journalist who was murdered in 2018 for example. But the spyware is very targeted even when misused, and you only have to worry if you are a business leader, journalist or dissident or close to someone like this in an oppressive regime. The average person should remain calm.

The list of alleged Pegasus targets has been reported to include 50,000 people, but in reality it is much smaller. Respected journalist Kim Zetter has written a great article on the real figures and risk of Pegasus.

Pegasus Spyware: This New App Says It Can Instantly Check For Pegasus

Pegasus spyware might be becoming a bit easier to find, because iVerify has added the capability to detect the malware to its smartphone app.

www.forbes.com

On iPhone opening an unsolicited text can get Pegasus installed. I doubt BAL bought that many seat licenses to use it on millions of people.

Thanks for the explanation bhai. Yeah the licensing is going to be enforced pretty rigidly, knowing these spyware companies.

RAB folks in charge of it will not use it willy-nilly.

no longer any need to click on anything to get it installed, if they want you they'll install it without you doing anything.

Yes - using yet undiscovered vulnerabilities in iOS or Android.

Which are classed as APTs.

Iranian, North Korean and Russian hackers use them all the time.

Discussed in more detail here,

What is APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) | APT Security | Imperva

In an advanced persistent threat (APT) an intruder establishes a presence on a network to mine private data. Learn how to identify and prevent APT attacks.

www.imperva.com