WhatsApp notifies hundreds of users who installed a fake app made by government spyware maker
WhatsApp has notified approximately 200 users who were targeted by a fake version of its app that secretly installed spyware developed by an Italian surveillance company. Meta identified the campaign and is alerting affected users directly.
Why this matters: Two hundred people is a small number until you think about who gets targeted this way. Government spyware does not usually land on random phones. It goes after journalists, activists, lawyers, and dissidents. Someone paid for this tool and pointed it at specific people. The fake app method is also a reminder that spyware makers are not just exploiting software bugs — they are exploiting trust. If you think you downloaded the real WhatsApp, you have no reason to be suspicious. The notification from Meta matters, but it also means the surveillance already happened.
Who should care: Privacy officers · Cybersecurity
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