David Bombal #520: Watch Your WiFi: One Infected Phone Takes Over Your Life
Nov 12, 2025
Occupy The Web, a cybersecurity expert and founder of Hackers Arise, dives deep into the world of digital threats. He reveals how even Apple iPhones can harbor serious malware and discusses the infamous Pegasus spyware. The conversation explores how one compromised phone can jeopardize your entire smart home network and why existing defenses often fall short. OTW also highlights the relentless nature of spyware sales, legal limitations, and the critical need for personal vigilance in an increasingly insecure digital landscape.
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Pegasus Targets Far Beyond Elites
- Pegasus targets journalists, diplomats, and regular people alike, showing state-level spyware reaches beyond high-value targets.
- The US court ruling only barred Pegasus from intercepting WhatsApp, leaving many other attack vectors intact.
Courts Move Slow, Companies Keep Profiting
- Legal rulings against spyware companies are narrow and slow, often taking years to produce limited relief.
- Corporations like NSO can still be lucrative and change ownership despite legal problems.
Memory Protections Raise Bar, Not Immunity
- Apple's memory integrity measures will raise the cost of exploiting iPhones but won't make them unhackable.
- Marketing that claims devices are unhackable misleads users and impedes detection of real compromises.
