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We ruffled the feathers of more than a few of our readers when we first posted about ISIS and the Android app they created to help further their terrorist propaganda. More recently, the terrorist group created a new app that was reportedly being used to coordinate terrorist attacks. This was after ISIS found themselves shut out of services like WhatsApp and Telegram where Government agencies with a back door could have been keeping tabs on their communications.
It seems spreading the word may have done some good (information is always our friend) and apparently ISIS now believes modified versions of these apps are now floating around the internets and being used to spy on them and their operations. A notice was recently sent out to members warning that “dubious sources published a fake version of the Amaq Agency Android app, aimed at breaching security and spying.”
“Recently, a fake copy of al-Bayan broadcast, ‘Amaq, and others were circulated. The publishing individual claimed that they are in several languages and it appeared that it aims for breaching, so we advise all supporters of the State of the Caliphate to count on the official channels while uploading these applications and verify the digital fingerprint for the application before starting it.”
We don’t know how many times we’ve warned our readers from downloading Android apps off the internet as opposed to the Google Play Store. It’s easy for someone to create malware versions of popular apps to listen in and steal sensitive data. It’s ironic that the same principals also apply for terrorist groups like ISIS, but seriously — how’s that for karma?
Still up in the air is if ISIS will continue developing Android apps with a tighter focus on security (they’ve officially created about 6 so far) or give up on the practice altogether. With social media and messaging services effectively blocking ISIS at every turn, we’re not sure what options they have left at this point.
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