Signal Under Siege: German Agencies Uncover Elite Phishing Campaign Against Key Figures

Signal Under Siege: German Agencies Uncover Elite Phishing Campaign Against Key Figures

In a stark warning echoing across Europe, Germany’s top intelligence and cybersecurity bodies, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), have unveiled details of a sophisticated cyber campaign. This malicious operation, attributed to a likely state-sponsored threat actor, is leveraging the privacy-focused Signal messaging app to target high-ranking individuals in politics, the military, and diplomacy, alongside investigative journalists across Germany and the continent.

“Unauthorized access to messenger accounts not only allows access to confidential private communications but also potentially compromises entire networks,” the agencies cautioned, underscoring the profound implications of these attacks.

The Art of Digital Deception: How the Signal Phishing Works

What makes this campaign particularly insidious is its departure from traditional malware-based attacks. Instead of exploiting vulnerabilities or distributing malicious software, the threat actors are weaponizing Signal’s legitimate features through cunning social engineering. Their ultimate goal: covert access to victims’ chats and contact lists.

The primary attack vector involves impersonating “Signal Support” or a “Signal Security ChatBot.” These fake support entities initiate direct contact with targets, urgently requesting a PIN or verification code, often received via SMS, under the guise of preventing data loss. Should a victim comply, the attackers can register the account on their own device, gaining immediate access to the victim’s profile, settings, contacts, and block list. While previous conversations remain inaccessible, the stolen PIN allows the threat actor to intercept incoming messages and send messages posing as the victim, effectively hijacking the user’s digital identity. The victim, now locked out, is then deceptively instructed to create a new account.

An alternative, equally deceptive method exploits Signal’s device linking option. Victims are tricked into scanning a malicious QR code, inadvertently granting attackers access to their account, including up to 45 days of message history, on a device controlled by the threat actor. Crucially, in this scenario, the targeted individual often retains access to their account, remaining oblivious to the fact that their private communications and contact lists are now compromised.

Beyond Signal: A Broader Threat Landscape

The German authorities warn that this sophisticated phishing technique isn’t confined to Signal. Messaging platforms like WhatsApp, which incorporate similar device linking and two-step verification PIN features, are equally susceptible. “Successful access to messenger accounts not only allows confidential individual communications to be viewed, but also potentially compromises entire networks via group chats,” BfV and BSI reiterated, highlighting the ripple effect of such breaches.

While the specific perpetrators of this campaign remain unconfirmed, the modus operandi bears resemblance to past operations by Russia-aligned threat clusters such as Star Blizzard, UNC5792 (UAC-0195), and UNC4221 (UAC-0185), as documented by Microsoft and Google Threat Intelligence. Furthermore, Gen Digital’s “GhostPairing” campaign, detailed in December 2025, showcased cybercriminals exploiting WhatsApp’s device linking for impersonation and fraud, underscoring a growing trend in messaging app exploitation.

Global Cyber Shadows: Warnings from Norway

This German alert arrives amidst a broader backdrop of escalating state-sponsored cyber activities. The Norwegian government recently accused Chinese-backed hacking groups, including Salt Typhoon, of breaching multiple organizations by exploiting vulnerable network devices. Norway also pointed fingers at Russia for its close monitoring of military targets and allied activities, and Iran for its relentless pursuit of dissidents.

The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) further detailed how Chinese intelligence services attempt to recruit Norwegian nationals to access classified data, encouraging them to build “human source” networks via job boards and LinkedIn. PST also highlighted China’s “systematic” exploitation of collaborative research and development to bolster its own security capabilities, noting China’s law requiring researchers to report software vulnerabilities to authorities within two days.

Regarding Iran, PST stated, “Iranian cyber threat actors compromise email accounts, social media profiles, and private computers belonging to dissidents to collect information about them and their networks. These actors have advanced capabilities and will continue to develop their methods to conduct increasingly targeted and intrusive operations.”

Fortifying Your Digital Defenses

In light of these pervasive threats, users are urged to adopt robust security practices:

• Never engage with unsolicited “support” accounts on messaging apps. Legitimate support channels typically do not initiate contact this way.
• Under no circumstances should you enter your Signal PIN or any verification code into a text message or provide it to anyone claiming to be support.
• Enable Registration Lock on Signal. This critical feature prevents unauthorized users from registering your phone number on a new device, even if they have your PIN.
• Regularly review your list of linked devices within your messaging app settings and immediately remove any unknown or suspicious connections.

The sophisticated nature of these attacks underscores a critical shift in cyber warfare, where trust and legitimate platform features are weaponized. Vigilance and proactive security measures are paramount for protecting sensitive communications and safeguarding entire digital networks from these evolving state-sponsored threats.

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