HomeTech PointChat App ToTok is...

Chat App ToTok is reportedly secret UAE Spying Tool

A New York Times article has reported that the popular Chat App ToTok in the United Arab Emirates, “ToTok,” is a spying tool designed to help UAE intelligence officers to observe individual talks and activities.

In the UAE, a country where Western messaging apps like WhatsApp and Skype are partially blocked, Chat App ToTok was launched earlier this year and downloaded by millions. It promised “fast, free, and secure” calls and messages and attracted users across the Middle East and beyond, even becoming one of the most popular social apps in the Country last week.

But, citing classified briefings from U.S. intelligence officials and their analysis, the NYT reports that Chat App ToTok is a way for the UAE government to spy on its people directly. Citizens who used the device exchanged texts, photos and videos, and even their location (allegedly monitored to provide weather updates) with information from Emirati intelligence.

The New York Times reports that this is a new development of authoritarian regimes in the context of modern espionage. While many governments routinely hack phones from individuals, not many are setting up a legal system and simply asking for access to their data.

“In this approach, there is an elegance,” said security researcher Patrick Wardle, who performed ToTok’s independent forensic analysis. “You don’t need to hack people to spy on them if you can get people to willingly download this app to their phone. By uploading contacts, video chats, location, what else do you need?”

The New York Times reports that the company running Chat App ToTok, Breej Holding, is probably a front for DarkMatter, a cybersecurity firm based in Abu Dhabi. The software is also linked to Pax AI, a UAE data-mining firm that shares offices with the signals intelligence agency of the Emirates.

Google and Apple have removed the Chat App ToTok from the play store and App Store, so Breej Holding, DarkMatter, and the UAE government still need to comment on the report in the New York Times. FBI also refused to comment. But a spokeswoman for the office told the Times, “It’s always a question of making consumers aware of the potential threats and weaknesses that such systems present while the FBI doesn’t comment anything about specific Apps.”

Most Popular

More from Author

The Hidden Benefits of a Diverse Tech Team

Although the term "diversity" has gained popularity in the tech sector,...

How to use JoinPD.com?

Online education has emerged after the recent pandemic. Students and educators...

What are the 7 Features That Will Ensure That Your Off-road Vehicle is Unstoppable

Off-roading is an exciting and challenging activity that requires a lot...

How to Use Rubmd to Find a Massage Therapist

Rubmd is an online directory offering access to massage therapists across...

Read Now

Why We Need an Antivirus Software to Protect Our PC’s?

Viruses are malicious digital programs that infiltrate your computer or network and damage files, steal personal information, and perform other harmful acts. They can also cause your computer to shut down prematurely and run slower than usual. Viruses can spread via email, floppy disks, USB drives and other types...

Getting Started with Hyperconvergence: A Beginner’s Definitive Guide

Hyperconvergence is a commerce word for an information base architectural style that encourages IT people and managers to focus on the circumstances of operation of workloads across systems. The primary goal of hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) is to streamline data center administration by restructuring them as software transportation...

Payday Loans: How to Avoid the Debt Trap

There may come a time in your life when you’re faced with an emergency that you cannot afford to pay for. This could be anything from urgent vets or medical bills to a broken-down car or home repairs, and you may not know where to turn. This...

How to Propel Your Business Toward Success Regardless of Your Sector

There are businesses in the world that seem to race toward success and make their journey look effortless and inevitable. This is because they’ve embraced a few fundamentals which have provided them with confidence in their employees, products, and services as well as within their customer base. Of...

Creating Custom Reports in MS Project: A Step-by-Step Guide

MS Project is an invaluable tool for project managers who are aiming to craft and organize their projects efficiently. It comes with the capacity to generate customized reports that can be used to assess and keep tabs on various facets of your projects – but, it may...

How to Boost Instagram Followers Count – Free & Paid

Instagram is one of the most widely used social media networks worldwide, with over a billion active users. Having a large following on Instagram or Boost Instagram Followers on Instagram can be a game-changer for anyone trying to grow their brand or business, whether an influencer, a...

Yomovies: Enjoy the Full Movies Online For Free

What exactly is Yomovies? Yomovies is a site that allows users to obtain movies for free. This film website is illegal in India because it hosts stolen films. This website transfers films such as Hollywood, Bollywood, Unofficial Dubbed films, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Pakistani, and...

Fapello: A Lifestyle Trend For Young People

Fapello is an emerging lifestyle trend among young people. It involves living in stylish apartments that are more cost-effective than traditional houses. Fapello lifestyle embraces simplicity and minimalism - both principles which form its core. If this topic intrigues you, do you want to discover more? Best Platform for...

How To Get OTP From Websites Without Phone Number

These days it is difficult to sign up for an account on one or another website not using a mobile phone number. Most of them require users to do this in order to reduce spam and increase the privacy of their users. But this approach is not...

The Latest on Trojyjlcjj8: Everything you need to know

It is time to discuss Trojyjlcjj8. Everyone, from IT enthusiasts to average Internet users, is curious about this strange Virus. Web-based news and rumors can make distinguishing between fact and fantasy difficult. This is why we're providing the most recent Trojyjlcjj8 information from professionals! So fasten your...

The Club América vs Deportivo Toluca F.C. Timeline

The rivalry between the Club América vs Deportivo Toluca Football Clubs dates back to the late 1800s. There have been 64 official meetings between the two teams, with Club América owning a 45-27 edge. In their most recent meeting during the 2018 Apertura season, Club América emerged...

iMac Pro i7 4k: What You Need to know

The brand-new iMac Pro i7 4K is just great. It is one of the most potent and sophisticated desktop computers on the market, thanks to its retina i7 4k display. This device will undoubtedly be a success with Apple product aficionados everywhere because of its stylish appearance...