this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2026
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408
German police read Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp messages without breaking encryption (cybernews.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by schizoidman@lemmy.zip to c/technology@lemmy.world
139 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

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

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[–] Zak@lemmy.world 72 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

What's described in the article is the same method Russia was using to compromise Ukrainian Signal accounts. It's just phishing.

[–] SergeantSushi@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think you're the only person here so far who read the linked article.

I also found the netzpolitik article that was referenced but not linked to in the original article.

This describes police adding a linked device to a person's WhatsApp account while gathering evidence (translated with Google Translate).

On January 12, 2020, Mr. and Mrs. P. were questioned. During the questioning, they voluntarily handed over the mobile phones they were carrying to the interviewing officers for a brief period so that messages from their daughter contained on the devices could be viewed and, among other things, photographed.

While the photographs were being taken, the computer-based application WhatsApp Web was covertly activated via a website made available online by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), allowing the messages to be read on a BKA computer (sic!). This did not involve any intrusion via a Trojan horse or similar software.

The only link to Signal here is the nation state campaign which used social engineering via a phishing message from 'Signal Support'.

This nation state campaign was originally reported by a researcher at Citizen Lab.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

I did notice some comments that may be from people who did not read and understand the article. These attacks are not sophisticated or hard to defend against, which is probably why the German police want to limit public awareness.

I find their view shortsighted/narrow; the attacks they're using (including SIM swapping) are also widely used by criminals for fraud and identity theft. Police agencies should not discourage the public from being more cybersecurity-aware.