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WhatsApp is under threat! This is one of the most trusted Meta-owned messaging apps that millions of users handle to send private messages. In fact, WhatsApp chats are secured by end-to-end encryption. Still, threats are lurking behind this tight security. Recent data from WhatsApp officials has brought to light a spyware threat that has already attacked multiple victims.
WhatsApp has recently discovered that one Israeli spyware company, Paragon Solutions, has targeted 90 users across the globe. As the report says, these users are from different countries. These victims span more than two dozen countries. At the time of writing, the number is not the cause of concern, but the way these spyware attacks are done is the main concern.
A WhatsApp spokesperson has informed that these attacks begin with the hackers placing spyware in malicious electronic documents. The most alarming part is that these are ‘zero-click’ attacks, which means once these spywares are set, they require no user interaction and can last for a month. So, these attacks are specifically stealthy, and mostly European people are affected by them at this point.
Nothing much was elaborated officially on how things were initiated or who the victims were. Still, sources report that this spyware was detected in the phones of journalists, activists, politicians from the opposite party, and approximately 50 U.S. officials. This is, indeed, worrying.
Hackers took advantage of WhatsApp’s default feature of adding people to random groups. They used this method to add targets to random groups and then sent them malicious PDFs containing spyware. Regarding the spyware’s capabilities, over time, it has been used to extract data and other personal information stored in devices.
As soon as it was detected, this Meta-owned platform has taken protective measures to ensure user safety. An official stated they reached out to people they believed were attacked by this spyware and added, “This is the latest example of why spyware companies must be held accountable for their unlawful actions. WhatsApp will continue to protect people’s ability to communicate privately.”
Aside from detecting the affected people, it has sent them to a Canadian internet watchdog group named Citizen Lab for further assistance. Also, Citizen Lab is presently working with them to ensure the prevention of this attack.
According to current reports, WhatsApp has detected an Israeli spyware company, Paragon Solutions, to be responsible for these attacks and sent it a cease-and-desist letter. How it found Paragon Solutions to be the culprit isn’t yet stated, but as expected, Paragon Solutions has denied all these charges.
Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton mentioned that this entire situation is a “reminder that mercenary spyware continues to proliferate, and as it does, so we continue to see familiar patterns of problematic use.”
No further update has yet been received about any other victim or any other steps taken by WhatsApp. In fact, the FBI has refused to comment on this matter.
