Blog

New Android App Go SMS Pro Has Security Vulnerability

Dec 16, 2020 | Blog

Do you use the Go SMS Pro Android app? If so, you’ve got plenty of company. The app is one of the most popular on Google’s Play Store, boasting more than 100 million installs. That, unfortunately, is the problem. A few months ago, Trustwave discovered and disclosed a major flaw in the app that allowed unauthenticated attackers to gain unrestricted access to voice messages, videos, and photos that had been privately shared between Go SMS Pro users.

The problem stems from the fact that when users send messages to one another, they’re stored on Go SMS Pro servers and message recipients are given shortened URLs which directs them to the actual content.

Unfortunately, those URLs are generated sequentially, which of course means that any hacker who spends a bit of time experimenting can correctly deduce the next URL in the sequence and easily access content that was not intended for him or her. This opens literally all of the content shared by all the users of the app open to abuse. Once the shortened URL is deduced, it’s simply a matter of copying and pasting it into any browser.

The code team leapt into action and was quick to update the app with a version that promised to close that loophole. On November 20th, 2020, Google removed the old version and replaced it with the updated one.

Unfortunately, the latest version didn’t actually fix the problem. The new version disabled the share functionality so that no new content can be shared, but all of the previously shared materials are still on the server and can still be accessed. Worse, there’s absolutely nothing that an individual user can do to remove his or her previously shared content from the app’s servers. As word of the flaw has spread, hackers all over the world have been designing tools to download the content.

The bottom line is, if you use this app and you’ve shared sensitive files with anyone, odds are that one or more hackers now has a copy of whatever you shared.

FBI Program Tasked with Infrastructure Security Compromised

FBI Program Tasked with Infrastructure Security Compromised

The FBI program tasked with ensuring critical infrastructure security has been compromised by hackers, who now offer access to the program's data on the dark web. The breach was initially disclosed by Brian Krebs of Krebs on Security, who claims that the data was for...

Streamline Your Business with the Latest Smart Home Technology

Streamline Your Business with the Latest Smart Home Technology

Are you a business owner looking to get the most out of your Google smart home devices? If so, you're in luck! Google has enabled its Nest products and Android OS with the initial rollout of the Matter smart home standard. This means that businesses now have the...

Data Breach at Sequoia One Exposes Sensitive Customer Information

Data Breach at Sequoia One Exposes Sensitive Customer Information

What do you do when your most personal information has been compromised? This is likely the question that customers of Sequoia One asked themselves earlier this month as they were informed that the company had been hacked. Sequoia One specializes in the management of...

Cisco Reports Critical IP Phone Vulnerability

Cisco Reports Critical IP Phone Vulnerability

As a business owner, it's important to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities that could impact your organization. Recently, Cisco reported a critical vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2022-20968, affecting its IP Phone 7800 and 8800 Series. This new vulnerability...

Google Chrome Releases Two New Features

Google Chrome Releases Two New Features

Google Chrome is one of the more commonly used web browsers. Over the years, though, Chrome has gained a reputation for utilizing a large portion of a computer's memory. This can be a problem if you're running other resource-intensive tasks and don't want to slow...

Get a Free Consultation

 

Fill out the form below to receive a free consultation and learn how we can make your technology worry-free!

 

Contact Information

  • 39301 Badger Street, Suite 500
    Palm Desert, CA 9221
  • (760) 333-8523
  • info@icn.tech