WhatsApp discovers ‘targeted’ surveillance attack
By Grace Dzuwa
WhatsApp has 1.5bn users, but it believed the attacks were highly- targeted
Hackers were able to remotely install surveillance software on phones and other devices using a major vulnerability in messaging app WhatsApp, it has been confirmed.
According to BBC,WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, said the attack targeted a “select number” of users, and was orchestrated by “an advanced cyber actor”.
A fix was rolled out on Friday.
The attack was developed by Israeli security firm NSO Group, according to a report in the Financial Times.
On Monday WhatsApp urged all of its 1.5bn users to update their apps as an added precaution