iphone

Federal government launches dedicated COVID-19 resource app

Posted on by VA3DBJ

The federal government has launched a dedicated COVID-19 app as a central resource for Canadians across the country for iPhone and Android.

The Government of Canada says the app provides Canadians with personalized, trusted, evidence-based information about the pandemic. It also includes the most up-to-date information, recommendations and resources.

If a person is concerned about their health, they can use the self-assessment tool that can help determine whether they may need further assessment or testing for COVID-19.

The homepage includes information about the importance of physical (social) distancing along with tips on how to properly wash your hands.

The app features information about the confirmed cases in Canada by province. At the time of writing, the app notes that 256,933 people have been tested in the country, and that there are 9,613 total cases and 109 deaths.

The stats tab in the app showcases several informative charts regarding the cumulative cases by date and new cases per day.

There is also a tab with updates that includes all of the press releases issued by the government about the latest news and measures being taken to curb the spread of the virus. The resource tab includes important information such as travel advisories, prevention methods and answers to common questions.

With the surge of misinformation on social media and other popular platforms, it’s a great step by the government to ensure that Canadians have access to credible and up-to-date information.

You can download the app from the iOS App Store or on Google Play.

A Powerful Spyware App Now Targets iPhone Owners

Posted on by VA3DBJ

Security researchers have discovered a powerful surveillance app first designed for Android devices can now target victims with iPhones.

The spy app, found by researchers at mobile security firm Lookout, said its developer abused their Apple-issued enterprise certificates to bypass the tech giant’s app store to infect unsuspecting victims.

The disguised carrier assistance app once installed can silently grab a victim’s contacts, audio recordings, photos, videos and other device information — including their real-time location data. It can be remotely triggered to listen in on people’s conversations, the researchers found. Although there was no data to show who might have been targeted, the researchers noted that the malicious app was served from fake sites purporting to be cell carriers in Italy and Turkmenistan.

Researchers linked the app to the makers of a previously discovered Android app, developed by the same Italian surveillance app maker Connexxa, known to be in use by the Italian authorities.

The Android app, dubbed Exodus, ensnared hundreds of victims — either by installing it or having it installed. Exodus had a larger feature set and expanded spying capabilities by downloading an additional exploit designed to gain root access to the device, giving the app near complete access to a device’s data, including emails, cellular data, Wi-Fi passwords and more, according to Security Without Borders.

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