Jeff Bezos hacked by Whatsapp message from Saudi Crown Prince's account

[spartaman64]

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The Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos had his mobile phone “hacked” in 2018 after receiving a WhatsApp message that had apparently been sent from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, sources have told the Guardian.

The encrypted message from the number used by Mohammed bin Salman is believed to have included a malicious file that infiltrated the phone of the world’s richest man, according to the results of a digital forensic analysis.

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This analysis found it “highly probable” that the intrusion into the phone was triggered by an infected video file sent from the account of the Saudi heir to Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post.

The two men had been having a seemingly friendly WhatsApp exchange when, on 1 May of that year, the unsolicited file was sent, according to sources who spoke to the Guardian on the condition of anonymity.

Large amounts of data were exfiltrated from Bezos’s phone within hours, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Guardian has no knowledge of what was taken from the phone or how it was used.

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It could also undermine efforts by “MBS” – as the crown prince is known – to lure more western investors to Saudi Arabia, where he has vowed to economically transform the kingdom

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Saudi Arabia has previously denied it targeted Bezos’s phone,

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The Guardian understands a forensic analysis of Bezos’s phone, and the indications that the “hack” began within an infected file from the crown prince’s account, has been reviewed by Agnès Callamard, the UN special rapporteur. It is understood that it is considered credible enough for investigators to be considering a formal approach to Saudi Arabia to ask for an explanation.

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When asked by the Guardian whether she would challenge Saudi Arabia about the new “hacking” allegation, Callamard said she followed all UN protocols that require investigators to alert governments about forthcoming public allegations.

source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/21/amazon-boss-jeff-bezoss-phone-hacked-by-saudi-crown-prince

 

I guess this shows that you can't trust random files from anyone even the crown prince of saudi arabia since you never know if the person's account got hacked. An investigation should be made on why and by whom was the file was sent and if the Prince's phone was hacked also.

[CTR640]

That's why I use pidgeons to send encrypted Maya symbols just to stay safe.

[Guest]

This hack has the 'Prince of Nigeria Inheritance Money' feel. 

[Reytime]

The prince was trying to get free Prime!

[Taf the Ghost]

I'm far, far more concerned that Heads of State and Billionaires are using WhatsApp. They have teams of highly paid security professionals and they let their protection target use WhatsApp? Granted, I guess Trump keeps cancelling everyone's demonic WW3 fantasies via Twitter, so "Welcome to Digital Age"?

 

On the bigger picture, the CIA & US State Department power networks run most of the Washington Post. Bezos bought the WP for 250 mil (personally, not as a part of Amazon), Amazon lands all of the CIA contracts and instantly buys all of this official cover. (One can look at the WP purchase as either a strategically brilliant move or paying protection money. Realistically, it's both.) So this is really just part of the CIA being pissed that one of their agents got killed. 

 

I'd believe absolutely nothing of what any party is saying in this matter. This is PR.

[Tristerin]

Also me: Surprised?  And why does Jeff Bezos deserve any attention beyond the normal scope and bounds of the law, and its enforcement.  If MY phone was hacked by...anything, no local authority would do anything about it.

 

My real question - If he is not a political figure, and just a US bro who owns a bunch of money (basically) why is he getting special investigations?

[Touch My Hamm]

They say it has nothing to do with them. Does that mean someone hacked the Crown Princes Whats App account and they knew about it? Either way would be an "Embarrassment" for them. Don't know why they arguing something that is just obvious and they just got caught. 

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, GodSeph said:

They say it has nothing to do with them. Does that mean someone hacked the Crown Princes Whats App account and they knew about it? Either way would be an "Embarrassment" for them. Don't know why they arguing something that is just obvious and they just got caught. 

Because if they said they did it, people would be up in arms.  Instead they will downplay and like the voters memory of my Country - they will forget very quickly this was even a thing and move on to the next thing they decide is important for 1 minute (the upset populace). (or 6 seconds, see also Vine Attention)

[Touch My Hamm]

Just now, Tristerin said:

Because if they said they did it, people would be up in arms.  Instead they will downplay and like the voters memory of my Country - they will forget very quickly this was even a thing and move on to the next thing they decide is important for 1 minute (the upset populace). (or 6 seconds, see also Vine Attention)

I guess that is true. They are pretty good at passing the buck and saying they are not to blame. cough** Jamal cough*** weird something must be in my throat. 

[Taf the Ghost]

1 minute ago, GodSeph said:

I guess that is true. They are pretty good at passing the buck and saying they are not to blame. cough** Jamal cough*** weird something must be in my throat. 

No one cares because a Nation State might have hacked one of the world's richest men. There's at least 20 major countries trying to do this all hours. This is literally the NSA's actual job, so the fact Bezos is even using a Cellphone (or MBS either) is pretty sad.

 

Also, no one cares that the CIA Asset got killed. It's just another false narrative. 

[Touch My Hamm]

1 minute ago, Taf the Ghost said:

No one cares because a Nation State might have hacked one of the world's richest men. There's at least 20 major countries trying to do this all hours. This is literally the NSA's actual job, so the fact Bezos is even using a Cellphone (or MBS either) is pretty sad.

 

Also, no one cares that the CIA Asset got killed. It's just another false narrative. 

O BOIIIIII ima just stop reading there. Ima take the tinfoil hats off and just walk away before thread blocked for political banter...

[LogicalDrm]

Just gonna say this once. I'm waiting rest of the moderations' response on locking this. In order for it this to stay open, there is to be no political talk in this thread. You can talk about data security, or lack of it. But any references to political reasons will cause 100% thread lock.

[Brooksie359]

1 hour ago, Tristerin said:

Also me: Surprised?  And why does Jeff Bezos deserve any attention beyond the normal scope and bounds of the law, and its enforcement.  If MY phone was hacked by...anything, no local authority would do anything about it.

 

My real question - If he is not a political figure, and just a US bro who owns a bunch of money (basically) why is he getting special investigations?

I think it probably has to do with a foreign country hacking a company rather than your average Joe hacker with no affiliation. I do find the whole scenario sorta suspicious. Why would they hack someone through a message if they person knows exactly who you are? I mean usually you wouldn't want them to know who you are when sending something malicious like that. 

[Tristerin]

4 minutes ago, Brooksie359 said:

I think it probably has to do with a foreign country hacking a company rather than your average Joe hacker with no affiliation. I do find the whole scenario sorta suspicious. Why would they hack someone through a message if they person knows exactly who you are? I mean usually you wouldn't want them to know who you are when sending something malicious like that. 

So a Foreign Country (one of the original members of the U.N.) has a Government set up as a Monarchy, and the Ruler has a Son who is being accused of putting Malicious Code to steal data onto a US Citizens phone.  A US Citizens phone - but at least its clear, this is a First Class US Citizen, the rest of us are Second Class or lesser.  

 

There is no reason for UN involvement unless its a coverup. 

[SansVarnic]

-= Locked =-

Granted this is tech related but the conversation had to cleaned and there is a good possibility this will go south again.