Russian hackers attack Signal of Ukrainian soldiers: messenger enhances protection.

The popular secure messenger Signal has been updated for iOS and Android to counter phishing attacks. This is in response to attacks by Russian hackers against Ukrainian military forces.

According to Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG), Russian military intelligence, through the hacking group Sandworm, also known as APT44, has begun a complex operation to intercept communications of Ukrainian soldiers.

Hackers used two main attack methods:

1. Linking Signal accounts from compromised devices to their tracking systems.
2. Distributing malicious QR codes that allowed hackers to receive real-time copies of the victim's messages after scanning.

The operation involved not only hackers but also Russian military personnel on the front lines, indicating a high level of coordination between cyber attacks and combat operations.

Google experts note that the attackers failed to break the Signal encryption protocol, but they exploited the vulnerability of 'linked devices'. This vulnerability is also present in other popular messengers such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

Russian hacker groups UNC4221 and UNC5792 actively used fake 'group invitations' for Ukrainian military personnel through spoofed links and QR codes. The Signal update is designed specifically to protect against such social engineering techniques.

This situation demonstrates how Russian intelligence services combine cyber attacks with traditional combat actions to achieve intelligence objectives. The readiness of Signal developers to respond quickly indicates the ability of tech companies to adapt their products to new threats in modern warfare.