How ‘Lucid’ Uses iMessage for Encrypted Phishing on iPhones

Quick Summary

• A new phishing-as-a-service (PhAAS) platform called lucid, developed by XinXin, is targeting iPhones and Android devices.
• Lucid uses Apple iMessage and encrypted RCS messaging for phishing attacks,allowing messages to bypass spam filters due to end-to-end encryption.
• Hackers send up to 100,000 phishing messages daily using temporary Apple IDs with impersonated display names.
• Phishing attempts include deceptive messages urging payments for toll fees or taxes, directing users to fake websites disguised as legitimate ones like the U.S. Postal Service.
• The operation exploits users’ trust in Apple’s security measures while ensuring high success rates.
• security researcher Catalyst suggests avoiding clicking on links in suspicious text messages, verifying URLs carefully, and installing Apple’s security patch updates promptly.

!Image: iOS Security

!Enlarge image: iPhone Phishing Farm

Indian Opinion Analysis

The emergence of the Lucid phishing platform highlights increasing sophistication in cyberattacks globally. With India being one of the largest markets for smartphones-both Apple and Android-the prevalence of end-to-end encrypted apps like WhatsApp or platforms relying on similar encryption creates a growing vulnerability.

India’s already robust tech infrastructure might need further strengthening against such targeted attacks. Digital literacy initiatives could benefit from integrating cybersecurity awareness campaigns focusing on identifying phishing attempts like these. Government agencies could also prioritize collaboration with global organizations like Apple or Android manufacturers to anticipate vulnerabilities stemming from services introduced into India’s digital ecosystem.

For individual users in India who frequently enough rely heavily on mobile payments through smartphones, stringent behaviors such as URL verification will be crucial moving forward due to increasing reliance on text-based communication methods locally across e-commerce sectors.

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