Someone is hacking NATO soldiers’ phones in Eastern Europe

NATO soldiers deployed to eastern Europe are scrambling to defend against smartphone hacks. The Wall Street Journal is reporting a new string of phone and account hacks launched against deployed US troops, targeting iCloud, Facebook, and even individual devices. Most of the attacks are not particularly sophisticated, but they could be enough to give away troop movements or other sensitive data if successful.

So far, the attacks have focused on the 4,000 NATO troops currently deployed in eastern Europe near the Russian border, suggesting a geopolitical motive behind the attacks. The Journal confirmed at least six individual soldiers who have suffered hacks, ranging from a compromised Facebook account to a phony “Find my iPhone” request. Another attack seemed to indicate a Stingray-like device harvesting contact information and deleting data from nearby phones.