WhatsApp has issued a warning to approximately 200 users in Italy who inadvertently downloaded a malicious version of the app containing spyware. The spyware was developed by Italian surveillance company SIO, known for creating surveillance tools for governments through its subsidiary ASIGINT. These users fell victim to a social engineering ploy that led them to install the compromised WhatsApp variant.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, disclosed that the affected users, primarily in Italy, were identified and logged out as a precaution. The attack was orchestrated to persuade users to install a fake WhatsApp version, likely to compromise their devices. Meta plans to take legal action against the spyware firm to prevent any further malicious activities.
While Meta did not divulge specifics about the impacted users or the extent of data breach, WhatsApp spokesperson Margarita Franklin reiterated the company’s commitment to safeguarding users who were deceived into downloading the counterfeit iOS app.
The deceptive WhatsApp application was not disseminated through official channels like Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store but through unofficial sources. Victims were coerced into downloading the altered WhatsApp app under the guise of authenticity. Once installed, the rogue software enabled unauthorized entities to access the users’ device data.
Source: mint – technology